


Metamorphosis

by gracelessAesthetic



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/F, Lesbian Vampires, Lesbians, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 20:33:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 43,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7283680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gracelessAesthetic/pseuds/gracelessAesthetic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Bella Swan goes to stay with her father in the sleepy town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect much to come of it.  Forks is small and rainy, the kind of town where everyone knows everyone, so she's surprised when she learns she isn't the only newcomer in town.  The Cullen family are distant and unusual, and one of them in particular captures Bella's attention.  Edythe Cullen is like no one she has ever met, paler than pale and inhumanly beautiful, and seemingly capable of feats that shouldn't be possible.  Despite her initial distrust, Bella soon finds herself drawn closer to Edythe and her strange family, determined to uncover their secret, but what she discovers is like nothing she could have ever thought possible.<br/>As Bella and Edythe grow closer, it soon becomes apparent that the Cullens aren't the only strange ones out there, and Bella is drawn into a world far more dark and terrifying that what she had previously known.  Soon she must make a choice: Stay in the safety of her old life, or leave it all behind forever to join Edythe and her family in eternity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Sight

**Author's Note:**

> So here it is, my take on lesbian Twilight! I know it's been done a few times before, but I do believe most of those are pretty much word for word adaptations of the two versions combined. Mine is starting out roughly the same as the original books, but written in my own words. However, as the story progresses, I'll be going in my own direction with it. I want to make it darker and a bit scarier, with more emphasis on the fact that these are creatures from -horror- mythology. I'm honestly not 100% sure what I'll end up doing with it: I'm gonna kind of let it wright itself. In terms of when you'll start seeing changes, I think probably sometime after chapter 4 or 5. Hopefully you'll like it!

It was a perfect seventy-five degree day in Phoenix, the sky a clear, cloudless blue, the breeze gentle as it wafted through the open window of my mother’s car.  I wore my favorite shirt, sleeveless with white lace.  I knew it would likely be my last opportunity to wear it for a good, long time, and it seemed fitting to don it almost like a farewell gesture to the sun and heat that made their near-permanent residence in Arizona.  My mother was driving me to the airport, so I could travel north to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, where the small town of Forks was located.  It exists under a near-constant cover of clouds, and I had a sneaking suspicion that it rained there more than any other place in the United States.  I hated it there. 

            “Bella, you really don’t have to do this.” My mom said, not for the first time that day, as she pulled up to the drop-off zone at the airport.

            “Don’t worry, Mom, really.  I don’t mind.”  I gave her what I hoped was a reassuring smile.  “It’ll be nice to spend some time with Dad, get some fresh air, spend time with Mother Nature and all that.”

            “I’m going to pretend that that was believable, for my peace of mind.” She raised her eyebrow at me.  I couldn’t help but laugh.

            We both got out of the car then, and she helped me with my bags.  Not that I really needed it: I didn’t exactly own much in the way of cold-weather clothing, so it all fit into one suitcase.  Other than that I just had a backpack and a parka.  I loved this shirt, but I wasn’t going to fool myself into thinking it would be enough once I got to Washington.  My mother hugged me tight, and we said our final farewells, her reassuring me that I could come home whenever I wanted, and then I was off.

My mother and I were originally from Forks, but she left with me when I was a baby.  Apparently she couldn’t stand being cooped up in a small rainy town any more than I could.  My father still lived there, though, so I had spent every summer with him there until I was fourteen, at which point I finally put my foot down, and struck a compromise.  Since then, I met my dad, Charlie, in California, where we vacationed for two weeks.  But things were different now.  Specifically, things for my mom were different.  She had recently remarried, and her new husband was a minor league baseball player, which meant he traveled around a lot now that the season was starting.  Even though she tried not to let it show, the constant distance was taking its toll on her, and I couldn’t help but feel bad.  She had always done so much for me, and I felt it was time I gave something back.  So, despite my feelings about the place, I decided the best thing I could do for her would be to move in with my father for a while, so she could travel with Phil.

            The flight from Phoenix to Seattle was four hours, and then an hour in a small plane up to Port Angeles.  From there, it was another hour’s drive back down to Forks.  The flying was uneventful.  It would be interesting to see if the drive would be the same.  I inherited my love of the sun and big cities from my mother.  My less-than-stellar conversational skills, those were from Charlie.  What happens when you put two introverts who hardly ever see each other in a car alone for an hour?  Awkwardness would be the million dollar answer.  Fortunately, he was rather pleased about my coming to stay with him.  Not only that, but he’d already taken care of my registration at Forks High School, and there had been talk of helping me find a car.  When you dad is the local police chief, the prospect of being driven to and from school every day isn’t exactly appealing.  Nothing says “Look at me!” like a black and white.

            Charlie was waiting at the Port Angeles airport in his cruiser, something I had anticipated.  At least my chances of being harassed by any lingering creeps would be significantly reduced.  Not that there were that many people there to begin with.  When I reached him, he gave me a stiff, one-armed hug, which I did my best to return while dragging my suitcase.

            “It’s good to see you, Bells.” He smiled.  “You haven’t changed much.  How’s Renee?”

            “She’s fine.  It’s good to see you too, Dad.”  I said, and I meant it.  Forks might not have my love, but Charlie certainly did.  I then noticed him eyeing my minimal luggage.

            “That’s it?  I thought you were planning on staying a while.” He tried to keep his tone casual, but I could hear the disappointment threatening to creep in.

            “Oh, don’t worry, I am.  This is, um, all the winter clothes I had.  Guess I’ll need to make a point to go shopping soon, huh?”

            A genuine smile lit up his face, and I couldn’t help but feel guilty over my apprehension of coming here.  It made Charlie happy, and I knew how lonely he must be up here.  I decided from then on to do my best to not dwell on the negative.  I was going to be here for a while, so why make myself miserable?  I would get over the ever-present clouds eventually.

            We drove in silence for about fifteen minutes, until Charlie cleared his throat and said, “I, uh, found you a car.  It’s a good one for you, really cheap.”

            “What kind of car?” I tried to keep the suspicion out of my voice, but the words ‘good for _you’,_ as opposed to just _good,_ had me concerned.

            “It’s a truck, actually.  A Chevy.”

            “Where’d you find it?”

            “Do you remember Billy Black, down at La Push?”  La Push was the small Native American reservation on the coast.  I replied that I did not.

            “He used to go fishing with us during the summer.  Anyway, he’s in a wheelchair now, so he can’t exactly drive anymore, and he offered to sell me the truck for a good price.”

            “What year is it?”  When he paused before answering, I could tell he’d been hoping I wouldn’t ask that question.

            “Well, Billy’s done a lot of work on the engine.  It’s only a few years old, really.” I stared pointedly at him.  He sighed.  “He bought it in ’84, I think.”

            “Did he buy it new?”  Getting to the heart of the issue was starting to feel like pulling teeth.

            “Well… no.  It was new in the early ‘60s.  Late ‘50s, at the earliest.”  He admitted sheepishly.

            “Dad, I appreciate it, but I really don’t know anything about cars, and I would be out of luck if anything were to happen to it, and it’s not like I can afford a mechanic.”

            “Really, Bella, it runs great, I promise.  Very sturdy, too.  They don’t build them like that anymore.”

            I sighed, realizing how adamant he was on the subject.  There was one thing that was non-negotiable, though, and that was cost.  “How cheap is cheap?”

            Charlie blushed, a reaction that caught me off guard.  “The thing is, I… kind of already bought it for you.  A coming-home present.”

            “Oh.”  I felt my eyes widen in surprise.  That was not something I had been expecting, but I suppose I couldn’t really complain.  “Well, thank you.  You really didn’t have to do that, though.  I was planning on buying myself a car.”

            “I don’t mind, really.  I want you to be happy.” He said, looking straightforward out the window, clearly embarrassed.  I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I turned away and looked at the scenery passing by.  The contrast to Phoenix was startling.  Everything here was so green, the trunks of the trees, the moss covering them, the branches and leaves.  It almost felt alien when compared to the modern steel gray that comprised my home city.

            When we finally got to his place, I got my first view of my new truck, and to my surprise, I loved it.  It was rust red and huge and, like Charlie said, very sturdy looking.  It looked as if it could survive anything. 

            “Wow, thanks, Dad!  I love it!” I said, genuine excitement in my voice now.

            “I’m glad you like it,” he said gruffly, embarrassed again.

            When I dragged my suitcase inside, I was unsurprised to see that the house had changed little in the three years since I’d last been there.  Even my room at the west end of the house hadn’t changed much.  The only real difference was that a secondhand computer had been added to the desk.  It was simple, but it felt familiar, and that was comforting.  Fortunately, Charlie wasn’t one to hover, and I was left to settle in and get my bearings in private.  I definitely felt the need to decompress, and that was easier to do alone.  I smiled to myself.  My dad and I were actually perfect roommates.  Neither of us required much company, nor did we feel the need to fill every silence with frivolous chatter. 

            I unpacked what few clothes I had brought and put them in the drawers of the old, faded dresser that sat next to the mirror.  I pulled my long brown hair back into a sloppy ponytail, and changed into pajama pants and an oversized sweater.  As an added measure, I also pulled on the fuzzy slippers my mom had bought for me only a few days ago.  I looked out the window, unsurprised to see a few drops already splashing against my window.  I sighed, then reminded myself of the promise I made back at the airport.  I made this decision.  No one was twisting my arm.  I wasn’t going to allow myself to throw a pity party.  Turning away from the darkening clouds, I opened my backpack to pull out the novel I had been reading.  I was about to settle in when I had a realization: the cold weather might not have been to my tastes, but hot cocoa definitely was, and Phoenix didn’t exactly provide a lot of opportunities to properly enjoy it.  I headed downstairs and asked Charlie if he had any, anticipating a less-than-favorable answer.  To my pleasant surprise, I was wrong.

            “Yeah, I had a feeling you might want some, so I picked up a box last week.  It’s in the cupboard next to the fridge.”

            “Awesome!” I resisted the urge to fist pump, and quickly mixed up a cup.  It smelled fantastic, and I couldn’t quite wait for it to cool before I took a sip.  It burned my tongue, but it was oh-so worth it.  I took the mug back upstairs, clicked on the light above my bed, and settled in for a long read.  Before I knew it, night had fallen, and my eyes were drooping.  The hot cocoa long since finished, I got up to brush my teeth, turned the light out, and was asleep within minutes.

 

When I awoke the next morning, a found that a thick fog had settled in sometime over the course of the night, obscuring the view out my window.  I groaned, realizing I would have to drive in it.  We didn’t get much fog back home, so my experience driving in it was zero.  I made a mental note to go extra slow, just to be on the safe side.  The last thing I needed was to get in an accident before I even made it to school. 

            I got dressed quickly, throwing on an old pair of jeans and a pale blue sweater.  I set my parka next to my backpack so I wouldn’t forget it.  I pulled the band out of my hair and ran a brush through the tangles, managing to get it at least presentable.  Satisfied, I grabbed my things and made my way down to the kitchen, where I had a quiet breakfast with Charlie before he left for the station.  After finishing my toast, I checked the clock.  Class wouldn’t start for an hour, but I had nothing else to do, and sitting around twiddling my thumbs seemed pointless.  Making up my mind, I pulled on my rain boots, grabbed the keys to my truck, and headed out the front door.  I remembered there was a spare key under the eaves, so I made sure to lock up.  To my relief, the fog had lifted, but a light drizzle had started.  I quickly made my way to the truck.

            It was nice and warm inside, and it was obvious that either Billy or Charlie had cleaned it up.  The smell of tobacco and peppermint still lingered, along with that ever-present gasoline scent that all old cars seemed to have.  Still, it was cozy, and I when I started the ignition, I was surprised to find that the radio worked. 

            Even though I had never been to Forks High School before, it wasn’t hard to find.  Like most things in Forks, it was just off the highway.  Still, I almost drove past it at first.  It looked nothing like my old school.  Gone were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors, and that smothering, institutional feeling.  This school looked more like a collection of old houses, open and welcoming, their maroon-colored bricks a stark contrast to the greenery around them.  It was only the sign out front that let me know I was at the right place. 

            I pulled into a parking space outside a building marked FRONT OFFICE.  There weren’t any other cars around, but that was likely due to the fact that I was so early.  Still, I decided to move my truck after picking up my schedule, just in case the lot was off-limits to students.  I got out of my truck and walked a ways down a small stone path that led to the office door.  I paused for just a moment before walking in.

            It was brightly lit inside, and warmer that I had expected.  I quickly shrugged off my jacket, then walked up to the counter, where a large, red-headed women with glasses was sitting.  At the sound of my approach, she looked up.

            “May I help you?” she asked.

            “Um, yes, I’m Isabella Swan.  Today is my first day.” I informed her.  As soon as I said my name, I saw the recognition in her eyes.  I can’t say that I was surprised.  The whole town probably knew I was coming.  They didn’t exactly get a lot of newcomers here.  

            “Oh, of course!” she said cheerfully.  She rummaged through a large stack of papers on the desk for a few moments before finding the ones she was looking for.  “I’ve got your schedule here, and a map of the school.”  She handed me several sheets.

            She went over my classes with me, pointing out where they were on the map and highlighting the best route to take between them.  I thanked her for her help, and she wished me luck before I left through the way I came and made my way back to my truck.  By now, other students had started to arrive, so I got in my truck and followed the line of traffic around the school to the student lot.  Glancing at the other cars, I saw that most were like mine: older, faded, nothing flashy.  Back home, it was common to see a new Mercedes or Porsche in the student lot.  Here, the nicest car was a shiny silver Volvo, and it stood out.

            I pulled into a spot and cut the engine, then went over the map one more time, hoping to memorize as much of it as possible beforehand so I wouldn’t have to walk around with it in front of my face all day.  As I gathered my things, I realized my pulse had started to quicken.  I must have been more nervous than I thought, which was silly.  It was just school, nothing to be afraid of.  Except that I was the new kid, and sure to attract more attention than I preferred.  Before, it was easy for me to blend into the crowd.  I wasn’t a target for bullies, but then again I wasn’t really a target for much of anything, which was just fine by me.  I did have a small group of friends, and I realize with a pang of guilt that I hadn’t e-mailed them or anything to let them know I had gotten here safe.  I made another mental note to do that as soon as I got home.

            I quickly and quietly slipped in with the crowd of people headed towards the main buildings, keeping my hood up the entire time.  I knew questions and introductions were inevitable, but I wanted to at least get to my first class without incident.  After that, I considered myself fair game. 

            Once I got around the cafeteria, I saw the building for my first class, marked with a large black “3” on the side.  I waited until a couple kids ahead of me opened the door, and I slipped in after them, finally removing my hood as I did.  I kept my gaze strictly in front of me.  Maybe if I didn’t make eye contact, they wouldn’t notice me.  I almost snorted aloud at the thought: I could already feel one or two gazes boring into my back.  I did my best to ignore them. 

The classroom was a lot smaller than what I was used to, but I had been expecting that.  The entire population of the school was smaller than my junior class alone in Phoenix.  I noticed that the people ahead of me were hanging their coats on hooks by the door, and I followed suit.  Looking at the pale skin of their exposed arms, I smiled to myself.  The one trait that had distinguished me in Arizona was going to make it a lot easier to fit in here.  How ironic.  I remembered then that the woman in the office had given me a slip for all my teachers to sign, and I rummaged through my bag to find it before heading up to the teacher.  The nameplate on his desk identified him as Mr. Mason, and like the office assistant, he showed signs of recognition at my name.  Fortunately, he signed the slip and sent me to a seat without making a spectacle in front of the class.  I found an empty chair near the back, and slipped into it quickly.  Somehow, my classmates still found a way to stare at me until Mr. Mason called for everyone’s attention.  He didn’t mention me.  While he addressed the class, I stole a glance at the reading list: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner, all things I’d already read.  I wondered briefly if I’d be able to convince my mother to send me my old essays, going over various arguments in my head, before giving up the idea.  No way would she go for it.  Ah well, at least it wouldn’t be that hard to redo them.

When the bell rang, a skinny boy with dark skin and closely shaved black hair leaned across the aisle towards me.

“You’re Isabella Swan, right?” he smiled.

“Yeah.  But I prefer Bella.”  I was painfully aware that everyone within a three-seat radius was paying close attention now.

“Sure, sure.” He said.  “So, where’s your next class?”

I double-checked my schedule.  “Uh, Government, with Jefferson, in building six.”

“I’m headed towards the fourth building.  It’s pretty close.  I could show you the way, if you’d like.” He said casually.  “Oh yeah, name’s Eric.”

He seemed friendly, but not overbearing, which was a relief.  “Thanks Eric, that’d be great.”

We grabbed our jackets and ventured back out into the rain, which was starting to come down harder.  I shuddered involuntarily.  It didn’t escape Eric’s notice.

“Not a fan?” he laughed, spreading his arms to indicate the falling water.

“Not particularly.  I know, I know, I picked the absolute wettest place I could find on the continental U.S.  What can I say?  I’m a glutton for punishment.”

“I’ll say.  So, pretty different from Phoenix, huh?” he said as we started walking.

“Very.  It only rains a few times a year there.”

“I can’t even imagine.  What’s that like?” he mused.

“Sunny.” I grinned.

He cocked an eyebrow at me as he gave me the once-over.  “You don’t look like you get much sun.”

“My mother is part albino.” That got a laugh from him.  I found myself smiling for real.  Eric was easy to talk to, and he seemed to genuinely want to make me feel welcome.  I realized that I had been working myself into paranoia all morning, and I felt ridiculous.  These were high school kids, just like the ones back home. 

            As we got to building four, Eric stopped and pointed me in the direction of my next class.  “Good luck, Bella.  Who knows, maybe we’ll have another class together?”

            “Yeah,” I grinned.  “That’d be cool.  See you around!”  He waved briefly before walking into his class, and I resumed the walk towards mine, my spirits already lighter than they had been at the start of the morning.  Maybe this really wouldn’t be so bad after all.

            The rest of the morning passed without much incident.  A lot of kids stared when I first walked into class, but it didn’t unnerve me quite so much when I remembered that they must hardly ever get transfers here.  It wasn’t personal, it was just different from their regular routine.  A few came up to say hello, and after my third class, a girl who sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish walked with me to the cafeteria.  She was shorter than me, with thick curly hair.  She provided most of the conversation on the way, but that was fine by me.  I was content to listen to what she had to say, since being new, I didn’t have much to say on the subject of teachers and classmates.  After we got our trays, she led us over to an already crowded table.  I happened to notice Eric across the room, and he waved.  I nodded in return, grinning.  The girl, whose name I remembered was Jessica, was making introductions, and I did my best to remember which name went with each face.  I usually needed to be told a name two or three times to remember it, but I always recognized a familiar face.

            We had been sitting for about five minutes, the usual casual chatter passing between us, when I first noticed them.  Their table was positioned behind Jessica, so when I turned towards her, they fell in my line of sight.  There were five of them, three girls and two boys, sitting at a table in the far corner of the cafeteria, as far away from everyone as possible.  They were all looking in different directions, but thankfully none of their gazes were turned my way, so it was safe to stare without them noticing.  I wasn’t normally one for gawking, but in this case I couldn’t help it.  I had never seen anyone like this group of teenagers before in my life.

            At a first glance, they looked nothing alike.  Of the two boys, one was big and muscular, like he hit the gym three days a week, his hair dark and curly.  The other was leaner, yet his body was still toned.  His hair fell past his ears and was a honey blond, and his expression looked almost pained.  The three girls were vastly different.  The first was tall, blond, and had an amazing figure.  It went without saying that she would turn every head in whatever room she walked into.  Another was the very opposite, short and tiny, with short black hair that stuck out in every direction.  The third had a build somewhere in the middle of the other two, more filled out and toned than the small one, but not as tall as the blond.  Her hair was almost a bronze color, and pulled back into a messy ponytail that still managed to look stylish.  Despite these vast differences, they all clearly belonged together, sharing the features that distinguished them the most from every other kid in the room.

            They were all incredibly pale, paler than me, paler than all of the Caucasian kids who had grown up under a near-constant cover of clouds.  Their eyes were all very dark.  From this distance, they almost looked black.  Beneath those dark eyes were purple, bruise-like shadows, as if none of them had slept in a week.  The most striking feature of all, however, was that they were each, from the largest of the boys to the smallest girl, amazingly, inhumanly beautiful.  Their features were all perfectly straight and angular, their faces symmetrical, as if they were carved from marble by Michelangelo himself.  It was actually unsettling, to realize that people existed who looked like that.  It was enough to make anyone feel insecure about their looks, and I normally wasn’t one to compare myself to others.  I couldn’t help but feel a little inadequate, though, looking at them.

            As I watched, the smallest girl rose from her seat, tray in hand, food untouched, and made her way to the trash can, dumped her food, and headed out the door.  Her movements were so lithe, like a dancer’s, although I had never seen even the most experienced professional move with that kind grace.  I glanced back at the others, who showed no sign that they had realized one of their own had just left.  They hadn’t moved a muscle since I had first noticed them.  Finally, I turned back towards Jessica.

            “Hey Jess, who are _they_?” I asked.

            She looked up to see who I meant, although the movement appeared to be more of a reflex than a necessity.  She obviously knew who I was talking about.  At the same moment, one of the girls, the bronze-haired one, looked up at Jessica, just for a moment, before she turned her dark gaze on me.  She looked away quickly, but I still felt my face flush at being caught.  In that brief glance, her face showed no sign of interest, as if she had heard her name called and looked up involuntarily, with no intention of responding.  It was the most peculiar thing.

            Jessica giggled nervously, sharing in my embarrassment as she too looked away.  “That’s Edythe and Emmett Cullen, and Rosalie and Jasper Hale.  The one who left was Alice Cullen.  They all live together with Dr. Cullen and his husband.” she said in a hushed tone.

            I risked another glance at the bronze haired girl, who had now begun to pick at a bagel on her tray.  Her mouth was moving now, so fast and subtly it almost looked as if her lips weren’t moving at all.  The others were still looking away from her, but I was certain she was speaking to them very quietly.  I took a closer look at her face, somehow soft and angular at the same time.  I decided that she might possibly be the most beautiful of them all. 

            I then realized that they had something else in common: their names were all very dated and unpopular for this generation.  They sounded more like the kinds of names that grandparents would have.  Not without difficulty, I tore my gaze away from the girl and looked back at Jessica.  Now that was a common name.  There were two girls named Jessica in my History class back home. 

            “They’re, uh… quite nice-looking, aren’t they?” I said awkwardly, knowing it was the understatement of the century.

            “No kidding!  And, get this, they’re all _together_.  Emmett and Rosalie, and Alice and Jasper.  They _live_ together, too!”  I could tell she was trying to contain her judgment, but even I had to admit it was an unusual situation.

            “So, which ones are the Cullens?  They don’t look related…”

            “Oh, they’re not.  Well, Rosalie and Jasper are actually siblings, the blondes, but they’ve all been adopted by the Cullens.”

            “They’re foster children?  They look a little old.” I could hear the skepticism in my voice, and I winced, berating myself for judging them without knowing their situation.

            “Well, Jasper and Rosalie are eighteen now, but they’ve been with the Cullens since they were like, eight or something.  I mean, it’s not as if they can have kids of their own, right?” Jess whispered, a note of pity in her voice, and a hint of something else.  Was it envy I heard?

            While Jessica and I talked, I did my best to avoid looking up at the table of the strange, beautiful family, but I found it to be nearly impossible.  I was more than a little intrigued by them, and another thought struck me.  Even though I didn’t remember all that much of my summers in Forks, certainly I would remember seeing people as striking as them?

            “Wait, have they always lived here?” I asked my new friend.

            She shook her head.  “They just moved down here from somewhere in Alaska a couple of years ago.”

            I felt a wave of empathy for them wash over me.  I wasn’t the only newcomer here, and certainly not the strangest.  At least people had reached out to me on my first day.  It seemed as if the Cullens might not have any friends at all.  Or was that the way they wanted it?  Relatively new in town _and_ introverted?  It was hard to believe that I could have anything in common with people like that.

            As I watched them, the bronze-haired girl looked up and once again met my gaze, this time with evident curiosity.  I quickly looked away, my face flushing, startled to realize there appeared to be some kind of unmet expectation in her glance.

            “Which one is the girl with the reddish brown hair?” I asked Jessica in a whisper, painfully aware of the fact that my heart rate had suddenly jumped.  I stole another glance at her, this time only moving my eyes.  I didn’t feel like getting caught staring for a third time.  She was still staring at me, but not in the way other kids had this morning.  In fact, her expression could best be described as curiously frustrated, and I could not for the life of me guess the reason for it.

            “That’s Edythe.  She’s something, alright, but I wouldn’t bother.  She doesn’t really make friends.  Or date, if that’s your thing?” She cast a sideways glance at me, and my face burned again.

            “Hey, hell if I’m one to judge.  If a girl like that asked me out, I don’t think I’d hesitate to say yes.” She rested her face in her hand, elbow on the table, her eyes glazed over.  I couldn’t help it.  I snorted and gave her a playful shove.

            “And where’d you get off to?” I teased.  I took another look at Edythe.  She had turned away again, but I could have sworn that I saw a small smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.  I shook my head.  I must have been imagining things, because there was no way she could have heard us from across the crowded, noisy cafeteria. 

            Finally, the four of them stood and crossed the room, dumping their still-full trays in the same fashion as Alice, and just like their adopted sister, they all moved with a supernatural grace that would be the envy of any ballerina.  Even the big one, who had to be Emmett, moved with perfect fluidity.  It was a strange sight to behold.  Edythe did not look in my direction again.  Seconds after they dumped their food, the bell rang, and the rest of the cafeteria became a bustling rush to gather backpacks, throw away trash, and get to class before the tardy bell.  My next class was Biology II, and one of the girls who had been sitting at our table, whose name was Angela, had the same class.  She quietly offered to walk with me, and I happily accepted.  I bid my farewells to Jess and the others before walking with Angela to our next class.  She seemed the shy type, and there was little conversation between us, quite different from my walk to lunch with Jessica.  It didn’t bother me, though.  I had talked a lot more than I usually would have at lunch, and I was content to walk in silence.   

            When we got to the classroom, I wasn’t surprised to see it filled with black-topped lab tables just like the ones I was used to.  With a small smile, Angela went to sit next a boy at a table towards the back of the room.  I looked around, and realized that almost all of them were occupied.  In fact, there was only one open space, and I nearly blanched when I realized who was sitting next to it.  Edythe Cullen was there, staring at me again.  The passive curiosity I had seen at lunch was gone.  A look of extreme tension bordering on hostility had taken its place.  It was so striking, so intense, that I looked away automatically.  I swept the room again, very carefully this time, wanting to be absolutely certain there were no other open spaces.  Sadly, I had been right the first time, so I had no choice.  After the teacher, Ms. Banner, signed my slip, I slowly made my way to the only open seat, all the while carefully avoiding the strange girl’s gaze. 

            Before I had finished pulling out my chair, I heard the soft scrape of metal on linoleum as Edythe swiftly moved her seat as far away from mine as possible.  As I pulled my notebook and pen from my bag and set them on the table, I risked a small peak.  She was staring straight ahead, not moving a muscle.  In fact, it looked as if she wasn’t even breathing.  I realized with a start that my suspicion at lunch was correct: her eyes were pitch black.  Her right hand was resting on the black top of the table, and it was clenched in a tight fist.  _What the actual hell?_   I couldn’t fathom what this girl’s problem with me might have been, but I knew I didn’t want to keep seeing it out of the corner of my eye for the next hour.  Thinking fast, I hastily pulled my hair to the left side of my face, and the thick brown curtain helped to block her from view.  I stared ahead, trying to take in what Mr. Banner was saying, but it was difficult to ignore the frustration and nerves that were quickly growing inside me.

            The rest of the hour passed in a bizarre haze.  It seemed to be dragging on forever, and all the while I refused to turn to look at my neighbor.  I didn’t need to see her to know that she hadn’t moved a muscle the entire time.  I continued to try and focus on the lecture, but my thoughts kept drifting to Edythe.  Being so close to her would have been unnerving enough on its own, but her unprecedented reaction to me had really thrown me for a loop.  At one point it occurred to me that perhaps I might have forgotten deodorant this morning, and my other classmates were just too polite to say anything, but a quick sniff affirmed that this was not the case.  I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I nearly fell off my stool when the bell rang, its clang a harsh jolt back to reality.  I finally gave into my curiosity and turned to my left, but Edythe was already gone.  I looked towards the door just in time to see her ponytail trailing around the corner.  I sat, dumbfounded as I stared at the spot where I had just seen her.  It was unquestionably one of the strangest experiences of my life.

            My train of thought was broken when a male voice behind me said, “Are you Isabella Swan?” 

            I turned to see a cute, baby-faced boy with spiky blond hair smiling at me, his face open and friendly.  _Everyone else doesn’t seem to think there’s anything wrong with me, so what the hell was her deal?_

            “Bella,” I corrected, smiling back at him.  I could tell it wasn’t as heartfelt as the ones I’d given to my new friends earlier, but I was still too unsettled from the past hour.

            “My name’s Mike.  Do you need any help finding your next class?” he asked eagerly.  _Uh-oh_ , I thought.  I’d seen boys get that look before.  I only hoped I was wrong.

            “I should be okay.  I’ve got gym next.  Shouldn’t be too hard to find.” I said as nonchalantly as I could.

            “Oh sweet, that’s my next class, too!” He was a little too enthusiastic about it, as far as I was concerned.  “We can go together!”

            Realizing there was no polite way to refuse, I nodded.  “Sure, why not?”  He seemed nice enough, if not a little too eager to please.

            “So, did you stab Edythe Cullen with a pencil or something?  I’ve never seen her like that.” He said as we made our way towards the gym.  I winced.  So I hadn’t been imagining things, and that clearly wasn’t her usual behavior.  She wasn’t exactly my favorite subject at the moment, and I didn’t want to get too in depth about it, so I decided to feign ignorance.

            “Was that the girl I was sitting next to?” I asked as casually as I could.

            “Yeah.  She looked like she was in pain or something.”

            “Oh.  I dunno, I was focused on class, and I never spoke to her.”  At least the second part of that was true.  I _hadn’t_ spoken to her, so it wasn’t as if I could have said something to offend her.  Unless… had she somehow overheard me and Jess at lunch?  I didn’t see how, and even if she had, I didn’t think I had said something so offensive as to warrant such a blatant display of hostility.

            “She’s a little strange.” Mike continued.  “Stunning, sure, but it’s not as if any of the guys here are good enough for her.” He said with a note of bitterness.  I glanced at him and realized he must have worked up the nerve to ask her out at some point.  Despite myself, I had to commend him there.  Even if she had been perfectly friendly to me, there was no way I would ever be brave enough to flirt with a girl who looked like that.

            “Anyway, if I were lucky enough to sit next to you, I would have talked to you.” Mike smiled at me again.  I only smiled back, unsure of how to respond.  Fortunately I was sparred that task as we approached the entrance to the girls’ locker room, and we were forced to part ways.  I gave him a small wave as I went inside and found the coach’s office.  Coach Clapp signed my slip and found me a uniform that would fit, but she didn’t make me dress for the day.  For once, I was sorry to get to skip out on P.E.  I wasn’t that great at sports, but because of that they required 100% of my focus.  If I had participated, I wouldn’t have been able to dwell on the strange events of the day.  As it was, I was left to sit alone with my thoughts for the next hour.  In an attempt to distract myself, I pulled out the book I had been reading the night before, but I soon found myself rereading the same lines over and over.  It was a relief when the bell finally rang, signaling freedom.  All I had to do was turn in my slip to the office, and I could leave.

            When I walked through the office door, the sight of a messy bronze ponytail almost made me turn around right back the way I came, but I resisted the urge.  I would not give in to this. 

            Edythe Cullen was standing at the desk, arguing with the receptionist in a quiet, musical voice.  _Of course,_ I thought bitterly, _even her voice is attractive._   I felt my eyes widened when I realized what she was saying.  She was trying to switch from sixth-hour Biology to another time, any time.  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  I refused to let my ego convince me that this was about me.  It was impossible.

            The door opened again behind me, letting in a rush of cold air that stirred the papers on the desk.  I shivered, and Edythe’s head snapped around so fast, I was certain she had given herself whiplash.  Her beautiful face was twisted into a look of utter loathing, her black eyes piercing through me, and for a moment I felt a flash of genuine fear.  She stared at me for a moment longer before turning back to the receptionist.

            “Never mind, then,” she said in a voice like velvet.  “I can see that it’s impossible.  Thank you so much for your help.”  I was amazed to hear not a hint of hostility in her voice, despite the terrifying look she had given me just moments earlier.  She turned on her heel in one fluid motion, and without another glance at me, was out the door.  I stood frozen in shock until the receptionist snapped me back to reality.

            “How did your first day go, dear?” she asked kindly.

            “Um, fine,” I lied, my voice catching.  I cleared my throat before I added, “Thank you.”  I handed her my slip and quickly left the office, determined to get back to my truck as quickly as possible.

            When I got there, there were hardly any other cars left.  I turned the key to get the heater started, as the windows had fogged up over the course of the day.  I sat numbly as the air slowly warmed, my mind still reeling.  I finally backed out of the lot, and got back on the highway towards Charlie’s.  I directed all my focus on the road, which was still a bit slick from the rain.  I didn’t allow myself to think about what had happened the entire way home.


	2. Open Book

The next morning was easier than the last.  I could already sense a routine forming.  Eric chatted with me in English, his easygoing nature calming after the whirlwind afternoon the previous day.  I sat next to Jessica again in Trig and Spanish, and we walked together to lunch.  Mike met up with us on the way, and I couldn’t help but notice a significant boost to Jess’s spirits when he did.  All in all, I was feeling pretty good, if not a little tired.  The wind had been exceptionally loud the night before, and sleep had not come easy.  However, as we approached the cafeteria, I felt a knot growing in the pit of my stomach, and I struggled to keep the anxiety at bay.  Would she be there, glaring at me again?  Or would she have gone back to staring at nothing, like she had during lunch yesterday?  Maybe she just really hated the idea of having to share a table with someone.  It was a far-fetched idea, but it was the best I could come up with.

            I made my way mechanically to the food line, hardly paying attention to what was I was putting on my tray.  My nerves were making the idea of eating less than appealing, but I knew skipping lunch would be a bad idea.  The entire time I was in line, I avoided looking over to the far corner of the room, but when I finally sat down at our table, I risked a glance at the Cullens’ table.

            She wasn’t there.

            Her four adopted siblings were sitting in much the same fashion as the day before, looking in different directions and not saying anything, their full trays untouched in front of them.  But Edythe was nowhere to be seen.  Was she just late?  I tried to not let paranoia get to me, but I couldn’t ignore the sneaking suspicion that this had something to do with the hostile display I had seen yesterday afternoon.

            I did my best to involve myself in the conversation.  Eric had now joined our table, along with a couple of his friends, and it had gotten rather crowded.  Jessica was doing her best to hold Mike’s attention, and for that I was grateful.  Like yesterday, I did more listening than talking, but no one really seemed to notice.  I occasionally looked up at the Cullens’ table, but nothing changed.  Edythe never showed, and right before the bell rang, they once again rose and dumped their untouched food.

            Mike, Angela and I made our way to Biology, and Mike was doing his best to start up a conversation with me.  He even offered to carry my books, which I politely declined.  He was starting to remind me a bit of a golden retriever, overly friendly and helpful.  I knew I’d have to be careful to not send him the wrong signals, but I had never quite gotten the hang of dealing with attention from guys. 

            When we got to the classroom, I paused for a moment before opening the door, but my fears were unnecessary: Edythe wasn’t there, either.  Mike lingered at my seat until the final bell rang before going to sit next to a girl with braces.  At least we were required to stick to our assigned seats, otherwise he likely would have taken the unoccupied one next to me.  I watched the door with apprehension until I was certain she wasn’t going to show.  Her absence was a source of both relief and bewilderment.  Try as I might, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was somehow responsible. 

            When I got to gym, I put the whole Edythe situation from my mind.  I would be participating today, and that was going to require a lot of concentration.  We were playing volleyball, and I was more than a little rusty.  Only two years of P.E. were required at my old school, whereas here we had to take it all four years, so I hadn’t played any sports in over six months.  I sent quite a few balls flying in the wrong direction, and watched several people hit the floor in an attempt to dodge them.  I cringed as one just barely missed a girl on my team.

            “Sorry!” I called.  She glared at me, and I looked away.  After that, I noticed far fewer balls hit in my direction.  I was fine with the basic exercises and running, but anything that required serious hand-eye coordination was a bit beyond me.  There was a reason I preferred books.

            When the class ended, I quickly changed back into my regular clothes and made my way to my truck.  The previous night, I had discovered that Charlie didn’t really do much in the way of cooking, and preferred microwavable meals and take-out.  I got the okay to take over kitchen duty, and I planned on a trip to the store on the way home. 

            On my way out of the parking lot, I spotted the Cullens and Hales getting into their car.  Of course it was the silver Volvo I had seen before.  Taking a closer look, I also noticed that their clothes, while simple, had a designer quality about them.  Figures.  It seemed as though good looks and money went hand in hand, for whatever reason.  I shook my head at the injustice of it, and made my way down the highway.

            At the Thriftway, I stocked up on all the basics, like veggies, cheese, eggs, milk, and anything else I could think of as a staple to have around.  I also picked up a couple of steaks to make that evening.  I had no idea when my dad had last had a home-cooked meal.  Once I was home, I unpacked the groceries and prepped the meat, then headed upstairs to change into something more comfortable.  As I pulled my hair back with a band, I glanced at my computer, remembering my promise to e-mail my friends.

            Once it powered on, I logged into my e-mail account and saw that I already had three messages.  They were all from my mother, each becoming more urgent than the last.  The final one had her threatening to call Charlie if she hadn’t heard from me by 5:30 this afternoon.  I glanced at the clock.  The deadline was still an hour away, but I wasn’t about to waste any more time.  I quickly composed a response, assuring her that I was fine, updating her on my new friends at school and the truck Charlie had bought for me.  After hitting send, I started a group e-mail that included my two best friends back in Phoenix.  I gave them much of the same information, as well as an apology for not contacting them sooner.  I finished it off by asking how things were going back home, sent it, then shut down the monitor. 

            I spent the next hour working on homework, then made my way back downstairs to finish getting dinner ready.  Charlie was more than pleased with my cooking prowess, likely remembering the rather… creative kitchen experiments my mom used to make.  As we ate, he started asking me how I was adjusting to school.

            “How’s it going so far?  Made any friends?” he asked, piling seconds onto his plate.

            “Yeah, I’ve already got a kind of group going on.  I’ve got a couple classes with this girl named Jessica, and we’ve gotten close.  There’s also Angela and Eric, and this boy named Mike who’s a little… too friendly.” I said wryly.

            Charlie chuckled.  “That must be Mike Newton.  He’s a nice kid – nice family, too.  His dad owns a sporting goods store just outside of town.”

            I took another bite food, hesitating before asking a question of my own.  “Do you know the Cullens?” I finally said.

            “Oh, you must mean Dr. Cullen’s family.  Sure do, he’s a great man.”

            “The kids are... a little different.  They don’t seem to fit in all that much at school.” To my surprise, Charlie’s expression became angry.

            “People in this town.” He muttered.  “Dr. Cullen is a brilliant surgeon, and could probably work in any hospital in the world and make ten times what he gets here.  We’re lucky to have him.  Not to mention the fact that I’ve never had an ounce of trouble from any of the kids – they’re all incredibly polite.  That’s more than I can say for some of the kids whose families have been here for generations.  Just because they don’t have the most… conventional family.  Who cares if Dr. Cullen married another man?  They’re a great family, they stick together, going camping every other weekend… people just have to talk.”

            I realized my mouth was open, and I quickly snapped it shut.  I had never heard my father give a speech like that.  At the same time, it gave me a lot of comfort, to know he was willing to stand up for people like that.  I hadn’t exactly come out to him, but after everything he just said, I felt a bit less apprehensive about it.

            “The kids did seem nice enough to me.” With one exception, but I decided Charlie didn’t need to know about that.  “They’re, um, all very attractive.” I tacked on.

            He laughed at that, his momentary anger gone.  “You should see the doctor.  It’s a good thing he’s happily married.  A lot of the women at the hospital have a hard time concentrating on their work with him around.”

After that, we returned to a comfortable silence, and when we were finished, he cleared the table while I started the dishes.  Then he retreated to the living room to watch the Mariners game, and I went back upstairs to my novel.  By now, I was actually feeling pretty good, and the anxieties I had felt earlier regarding Edythe seemed a million miles away.  I had made friends, and life at home was looking to be quiet and relaxing.  So what if I had managed to drive away the most beautiful girl in school on my first day?  As far as I was concerned, whatever was going on was her problem, not mine.  After all, I couldn’t have possibly done anything to her, and I refused to let myself feel guilty.  I wasn’t going to let her be a dark cloud on my stay here.

 

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful.  The routine that had begun on my first day continued, and I gained a comfortable sense of familiarity.  I started to recognize more faces now, and I knew the names of everyone who sat at our lunch table.  I continued to enjoy the easygoing energy from Eric, Jessica’s humor, and the quiet moments with Angela.  It turned out that she enjoyed a lot of the same literature as I did, so when the rest of the group got too noisy, she and I would retreat into our own space and discuss the book we were reading for English.  Like me, she had read it before, but we both loved it so much, it hardly felt like an assignment to reread it.  I was also learning to expect Mike to walk with us to Biology, and just like he had on that second day, linger at my table until the bell rang.  I maintained a friendly yet distant attitude with him, not wanting to give him the wrong idea, but he seemed oblivious.  I knew the best thing to do would to just be upfront with him, but I had never been all that great at being direct.

            When Friday rolled around, there was talk at lunch of an upcoming trip to the La Push Ocean Park up the coast, and when I got an invitation, I happily accepted.  It sounded fun, and I might get the chance to see Billy Black and thank him for the truck.  Despite my growing sense of comfort, I was always hyper aware of one glaring fact: Edythe Cullen had not come back to school.

            _Well, fine.  If it means that I don’t have to deal with her staring daggers at me for an hour each day, let her stay gone._ I thought, more than a little bitter.  But still, her lack of presence definitely helped to put my mind at easy as the week dragged on and the weekend arrived.  It passed quietly, the rain minimal, and I enjoyed the time to myself.  I did make a trip to the local library on Saturday, but it had so little to offer that I didn’t even bother signing up for a card.  I would have to make a trip to Seattle or Olympia soon and find a good bookstore.  I hadn’t brought much with me, and Charlie wasn’t really a reader.

            When Monday came around, people said hello to me in the parking lot, and I greeted them in return.  The morning passed as usual, but when third period ended and we headed to lunch, I could hear people shouting excitedly to one another.  Before I could wonder at what was going on for long, Mike came bounding up to me and Jessica, his face glowing.

            “It’s snowing!” he grinned.

            “Seriously?” I had never seen snow before, except on TV, so I wasn’t sure what to make of this new development.  I knew it meant that it was too cold for rain, so I pulled my jacket tighter.

            “Oh yeah!  You guys game for an epic snowball fight after school?”

            “Absolutely!” Jess answered, a little too quickly, her eyes bright.  I raised an eyebrow at her, and she shot me a quick glare, silently warning me not to say anything.  I suppressed a snigger.

            “I think I might pass, but thanks.” I said, more for Jessica’s sake than anything.  I figured if she got some more one-on-one time with Mike, he might realize there was a girl who was far more receptive to his flirtations.

            When we sat down at our usual table, I glanced reflexively at the table in the far corner, not really expecting any change, so when I saw that there were once again five people sitting there, I did a double-take.  I felt my stomach churn, and I berated myself for reacting so strongly.

            I made a show of taking an interest in my food, but I allowed myself to glance up at them once more, scared of what I might see.  Would she be glaring at me again?  As it turned out, she wasn’t.  What I saw instead was even more surprising.

            They were laughing, and Edythe, Jasper, and Emmett all had melting snow saturating their hair.  Alice and Rosalie leaned away as Edythe shook her hair in their direction, her expression playful.  It shouldn’t have surprised me to see that they too were enjoying the snow day, but considering I had never seen them do anything but sit and stare in silence, their sudden energy caught me off-guard.  It wasn’t just the laughter that was different, though.  There was something else, and it took me a minute to figure out what it was.  I inspected them more closely, aware that I focused on Edythe more than the others.  I finally realized that her skin seemed less pale, likely flushed from their recent snowball fight, and the circles under her eyes were less prominent.  There was something else, I was sure of it, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

            “Hello?  Bella?  What are you staring at?” Jessica said, snapping me out of my trance.  Even as she said the words, she followed my line of sight, and just as she had done last week, Edythe glanced in our direction.  I quickly looked away, once again feeling the embarrassment make itself obvious in the flush of my cheeks.

            “Edythe Cullen is staring at you.” Jessica said, giggling.

            “What?  Why?  Does she look angry?” I said, a little louder than I intended.

            “No?  Should she?” Jess asked, confused.

            “No, of course not.  Never mind.  I just… don’t think she likes me very much.”

            “The Cullens don’t really like anyone.  Well, they don’t notice anyone enough to like them.  But she really is staring at you.”

            “Well, stop staring back!  I mean it!” I whispered, giving her a light shove.  She rolled her eyes, but obliged.  I spent the rest of lunch in relative silence, only interjecting when directly spoken too, and even then I didn’t say much.  When the bell finally rang, I realized I had hardly touched my food, apprehension for my next class having greatly reduced my appetite.  I hated that I was letting her get to me like this.  We hadn’t even spoken a single word to each other, and yet I was feeling greater anxiety at seeing her again than I had before my first day here.

            When I walked in the door, I was relieved to see both chairs at my table empty.  I was sure she would show up before long, but at least _I_ didn’t have to be the one walking up to _her_.  I kept my focus on the board, even though class hadn’t actually started yet, and I didn’t turn even when I heard the scrape of the chair legs next to me, indicating her arrival.  I was determined to show that I did not give a rat’s ass.  I was contemplating just how long I could keep this up (for the rest of the semester, if I had to), when a quiet, musical voice that I had only heard once before, in the front office a week ago, broke the silence.

            “Hello.” I couldn’t help it.  I jerked my gaze in her direction, absolutely stunned that she was speaking to me.  “My name is Edythe Cullen.  I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to introduce myself last week.  Bella Swan, right?”

            On some level I was aware that I was gawking at her, and I must have looked like an idiot, but I was seriously starting to question my own sanity.  Was this really the same girl from before?  The one who had looked at me as if contemplating murder?  And now she was introducing herself, polite as could be.  I couldn’t help but notice that her seat was still positioned as far away from me as possible, but it was now turned towards me, along with its occupant.  I realized she was still waiting for a response, so I blurted out the first thing that crossed my mind.

            “How do you know my name?”  Brilliant.

            She laughed, and of course it was the most enchanting laugh I had ever heard.  “I’m pretty sure everyone here knows your name.  The whole town had been waiting for you to arrive.”

            “Well, yes.  But I mean, why did you call be Bella?  I always have to correct people at first.” Was this seriously the only thing I could think of to say?

            “Ah.” She said, and let the subject drop.  I looked away, heart racing.  _Smooth, Bella.  Real smooth.  Oh, you nailed that, A freaking plus._  By this point, Ms. Banner had started the class, explaining that we would be working in pairs, looking at onion root tip cells and placing them in the correct order for mitosis.  We couldn’t use our textbooks, but I breathed a soft sigh of relief.  At least this was a subject we had covered back at my old school.  Maybe I could redeem myself a bit.

            “Care to go first?” Edythe asked after we had gotten our slides.  I glanced at her, and she was smiling the most amazing crooked smile.  I stared for a moment before catching myself again.  I was really going to have to work on that.  It didn’t help that, up close, she was even more stunning.  This was more noticeable now that she wasn’t glaring daggers at me. 

            “R-right.” I stammered, then cleared my throat.  I placed the slide under the microscope, and studied it briefly.  “Prophase.”

            “Mind if I take a look?” she asked as I started to remove the slide.  Her hand briefly brushed against mine as she reached for the slide, and I started before quickly moving my hand away.  Her fingers were cold as ice, likely due to her earlier snowball fight, but that wasn’t my reason for moving away.  When her skin touched mine, it felt as if an electric current had passed between us.

            “I’m sorry.” She murmured, pulling the microscope towards her.  She glanced at it for only a moment before affirming my assessment.  “Prophase.” She wrote it down in an elegant script on our workspace.  The inadequate feeling was back.  I had never considered my handwriting to be bad, exactly, but next to Edythe’s, mine looked like chicken scratch.

            She switched to the next slide, and once again took only a moment before declaring it to be Anaphase.  It was stupid, but my pride got the better of me, so I asked, as casually as possible, “Mind if I take a look?”  Yes, it was a bit petty, but I really didn’t care.  I took a look and suppressed a grumble.  She was right.  Of course.

            Without looking at her, I held out my hand and asked for the third slide, which she passed over, careful not to let our skin touch again.  “Interphase.” I said, passing her the microscope before she could ask.  She took a quick glance before writing it down.

            While she studied the next slide, I took the opportunity to study her more carefully.  Her skin really was so pale, it was almost white.  It made the bright colors of her hair stand out even more.  This close, I could see that her hair was comprised of many different shades of reds, browns, and oranges.  It made me think of a tree during autumn, when the leaves had finished changing.  _Oh great, am I waxing poetic about her_ hair? 

            We soon finished the assignment before anyone else, and I looked awkwardly away from her, tapping my fingers against the table top in a nervous twitch.  I was being completely ridiculous, and I knew it, but the effect she was having on me was overpowering.  I had been around attractive women before, but I had never felt this flustered around someone I had just barley met.  Finally, I glanced over at her, and she was watching me, that look of mild frustration back on her face.  No sign of last week’s aggression, thankfully.  Suddenly, I realized what the difference in her face was that had eluded me before.  Apparently tact was not in my toolbox that day, because I blurted out my discovery without thinking.

            “Did you get contacts?”

            She looked puzzled at my question.  “No.”

            “Oh.  Sorry, it’s just… your eyes seem different from last week.”

            She gave me the most perplexing look, shrugged, then turned away.  I didn’t mention it again, but I was certain I wasn’t wrong.  There was no way I could forget that inky black stare she had turned in my direction multiple times the last time I had seen her.  They were definitely a different color now, a dark, ocher yellow, almost golden in tone.  It didn’t make any sense.  I’d heard of some people whose eyes looked hazel in some lighting, and light brown in others, but those were subtle differences.  There was nothing similar between the dark gold I was seeing now and the pure black of last Monday.  A part of me wanted to pursue the subject, but I had a feeling it would be smarter to just let it drop.  Why risk antagonizing her again?

            Ms. Banner eventually came by our table to see why we weren’t working, and when she saw our finished worksheet, she took a closer inspection to check the answers.  To my surprise, a small frown crossed her face.

            “Well, Edythe, didn’t you think Bella should have had a turn with the microscope?” I was stunned, and a little offended, that she assumed it was all Edythe, until I remembered that I had let her write down all the answers.  I was about to protest, when Edythe spoke up.

            “Actually, Ms. Banner, Bella identified three of the five.” She said, a subtle smile on her face.

            Ms. Banner’s eyes widened slightly before she turned to me.  “Have you done this lab before?”

            “Yeah, but not with onion root.” I smiled sheepishly.

            “Ah,” she said. “Well, I guess it’s good you two are lab partners, then.” She muttered something else as she walked away.  Unsure of what to do next, I started doodling absentmindedly on the cover of my notebook.  Edythe and I sat in silence for several minutes before she spoke again.

            “Ah, look,” she said quietly.  I turned to see her gesturing out the window, where a steady rain had replaced the snow, washing away all traces of the fluffy stuff from the ground.  “What a shame.  I do believe several of our classmates were planning a snowball fight after school.”

            “Yeah, Mike was talking about that.  I can’t say I’m all that disappointed, if I’m being honest.” I admitted.

            “Oh, do you not like the snow?”

            “Well, I never had any experience with it before today.  I guess the snow itself isn’t too bad, but I don’t think I’d really enjoy being hit with a wad of the stuff.  I’m not crazy about the rain, either, though, so I guess there’s no winning, huh?”

            “And yet, you came to live here.  Why is that?” she asked.  I looked at her, and she was staring intently at me.  She was asking for real, and I couldn’t believe that she had actually taken an interest in me.  Everyone else that I had talked to had told me the same thing: the Cullens didn’t socialize, didn’t really pay attention to anyone else.  So what was her deal now? 

            I filled her in on how my mom had remarried, how Phil traveled a lot, and her desire to be with him.  I could tell she was really listening as I gave her the details, amazed that she seemed so interested in something I considered rather mundane, but I really did have her full attention.

            “So she sent you here?” Edythe asked.

            “Well, no.  In fact, she spent half the drive to the airport trying to change my mind, although I’m pretty sure she was secretly glad.  Not to see me go, but I know she wanted to be with Phil.  I made the decision on my own.  I guess I just felt bad that I was the reason she couldn’t be with him.”

            “I see,” she muttered.  “But aren’t you the unhappy one now?”

            “No,” I answered, surprised to realize that I was being honest.  “I mean, maybe at first, but it’s really not so bad.  Living with my dad is easy, and I’ve already made a few friends.”  I decided it best not to mention that the only really negative experience I’d had so far had been because of her.  “I do miss the sun, but I’ll get over it.”

            “Well, I suppose that’s good.” She sighed.  “Am I annoying you, with all these questions?”

            “Not really, although I supposed I’m a little curious as to why it matters to you.” I couldn’t quite keep the suspicion out of my voice.

            “That is a good question.  I guess it’s because I find you very difficult to read.”  Now that surprised me.

            “Really?  My mom always calls me her ‘open book’.  And you’re normally good at reading people, then?”

            “Extremely.” She grinned in a way that looked as if she were recalling an inside joke, but of course I couldn’t even begin to guess what that might be.  I could tell she was enjoying herself, though, and I rolled my eyes in response. 

            Ms. Banner finally called our attention up front again to go over the answers, so our conversation was brought to a halt.  I did my best to focus on what the teacher was saying, but my mind kept drifting to the bizarre conversation I had just had.  She had been a completely different person from last week, friendly and curious, but with a definite air of smugness, like she knew something I didn’t and was taking pleasure in my ignorance.  I didn’t know what to make of her at this point, but maybe she wasn’t as scary as I first thought.  Well, she had the potential to be, but that didn’t seem to be her usual disposition.  I decided to chalk it up to a particularly bad day, and that it wasn’t me personally so much as the unexpected realization that she was going to have to share her table with someone at a time when socialization was the last thing she wanted to do.  It made sense, even if her reaction had been a bit extreme, but then again I really didn’t know much about her or what she had been going through prior to class.  I would give her a second chance, especially since it looked like we’d be neighbors from now until June. 

            When the bell rang, I gathered my things and turned to bid Edythe farewell, but once again she was out the door before anyone else.  I shook my head in amazement.  She was strange, no doubt about that, but the tension I had felt before was gone.  It seemed as if the worst was over, and hopefully I would have nothing more to worry about.

            As Mike and I headed to P.E., I had to listen to him grumble about the rain, his hopes of a snowball fight dashed.  I let him rant without interjecting, my thoughts elsewhere.  We parted ways at the locker room, and I forced myself to focus on class.  Mike was on my team today, and I couldn’t help but notice that he always appeared by my side whenever the ball came my way.  By this point, I had a reputation, and he was clearly trying to save my dignity a bit.  I should have been grateful, but all I felt was annoyance.  It was silly, but I really didn’t need his chivalry. 

            I didn’t say much to him when class ended, opting to head straight for my truck.  As I started the ignition and cranked up the heater, I looked around to make sure the coast was clear.  Then I noticed the still, white figure of Edythe Cullen leaning against the door of the Volvo a few cars down, staring intently in my direction.  Like an idiot, I stared back, transfixed by her gaze, before finally looking away as quickly as I could.  I was still flustered, so I almost didn’t see the rusty Toyota behind me as I threw my truck into reverse.  I slammed on the breaks just in time, my heart a jackhammer.  Taking a deep breath, I looked to both sides before easing the rest of the way out.  I stared pointedly ahead as I passed the Volvo, but out of my peripheral, I could have sworn that she was laughing.


	3. Phenomenon

When I awoke one morning a couple of weeks later, the first thing I noticed was the light.  It was still cloudy, but it was definitely brighter than it had been any other morning since I arrived in Forks.  Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I realized that for the first time, there was no fog out.  I walked over to my window, pulling open the curtains all the way to get a better looked, and gasped.

            The ground was now covered in a layer of white snow, giving everything in sight a slight glow as it reflected what little light made its way through the clouds.  I felt my fist clench tighter on the curtain I was still holding, wondering how I would fare driving in it.  Moving away from my window, I pulled my clothes for the day out of my dresser, taking care to grab an extra layer.  If it was cold enough for the snow to stick, it was too cold for my standard attire. 

            When I got downstairs, I realized Charlie had already left.  I grabbed a quite bite to eat before leaving, and nearly fell flat on my ass as I slipped on a thin layer of ice that had developed on the front porch.  Grabbing the railing to steady myself, I moved much slower, my steps deliberate, as I headed for my truck.  Cranking the engine to life, I sighed out loud as the heater came out full blast, its warmth enveloping me.  I hadn’t realized how much I was shivering until then.

            I got to the school with little difficulty.  Just when I was thinking that I had been extremely lucky, I noticed the snow chains on the tires of the truck.  I smiled, touched by this gesture of concern from Charlie.  I was thinking how I would have to thank him later when I heard a terrible, ear-splitting screech just behind me.  I snapped my head around to find the source, and saw, to my horror, a large blue van spinning out of control, and right in my direction.  I just had time to think _how ironic_ life was when I felt something solid slam into my side, sending me flying several feet over.

            My eyes were shut tight as I waited for the pain to set in.  When it didn’t, I opened them to see that it was not a blue van pinning me to the ground, but something small and pale.  I looked up and met Edythe’s concerned stare.  I stared back, open-mouthed, when I realized that the van was still heading in our direction.  I was about to warn her when she turned, faster than I could see, and shot her hands out just as the van reached us.  I heard the sickening crunch of what sounded like metal on metal and I looked away, cringing.  Moments passed, and still I felt no impact.  Instead, I felt an arm around my waist, swinging me around, and my eyes snapped open.  Edythe was still with me, and she was holding me against her side.  Her other hand was under the van, keeping it from making contact with the ground.  Just as I was trying to make sense of what I was seeing, she released the van, letting it drop to the ground, right where my legs had been moments before. 

            Everything seemed to slow down dramatically in that moment.  I was acutely aware of several things at once.  I saw the two hand-shaped dents in the side of the van, and another dent in the car behind us that looked suspiciously as if it fit the exact contours of Edythe’s shoulder.  I was very much aware that Edythe was still holding me, her arm like a steel trap.  She turned towards me once again, her golden gaze scorching as she examined me carefully.

            “Bella?  Are you alright?” she asked, her voice low.

            “Yes, I… I think so.” I knew pain could sometimes take a minute, but I didn’t think I was seriously hurt.  Maybe a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing terrible.

            “Well, you don’t appear to be bleeding.” Relief crossed her face.

            Just then, time seemed to return to normal as I became aware of the noises around me.  People were screaming as they ran frantically to the scene of the accident.  I heard our names being called as teachers made their way to the front of the crowd.  Edythe stood, helping me to my feet as she did so, her arm still around me to keep me steady.  I stared at her, still trying to process what I had just witnessed.  I knew how absolutely insane it sounded, but this girl had just stopped a van with her bare hands.  In that moment, something else occurred to me: she had not been anywhere near me in the seconds before the accident. 

            “How…?” I started to ask, but in that moment the throng of people made their way to us, and any chance I had to question her was lost.

            It seemed as if the entire school was there in the parking lot, their faces a mix of fear and concern.  I looked on as several teachers managed to get the driver of the van out of the wreckage.  It was Taylor Crowley, a girl in my Trig class.  I winced as I saw the severity of her injuries.  I glanced around at the sea of faces as Ms. Banner came up to me, asking me if I was alright.  As I tried to assure her that I was fine, I noticed a small group of people who hadn’t joined in the rush.  There was no mistaking those pale faces.  As I stared at Edythe’s family, I couldn’t help but notice that they didn’t seem concerned for their sister’s safety.  In fact, their expressions ranged from disappointment to flat-out anger.  Before I could read too much into it, I heard the wail of sirens fast approaching.  An ambulance had made its way onto the scene, as well as a very familiar police cruiser.  Charlie came running, his expression frantic.

            “Bella? Bella!  Are you okay?  Are you hurt?” he cried as he came up to me, his hands hovering around my face and shoulders, wanting to pull me in close but afraid the contact might hurt me.

            “I’m fine, Dad, I promise.  Just a few bruises.”

            “And a decent lump on your head.” A familiar voice added.  I looked to see Edythe standing a few feet away as the EMTs brought stretchers out.  I realized with horror that they had two of them.  I reached a tentative hand up to feel over my scalp, and winced as I discovered that she was right.  I didn’t remember hitting my head, but it must have happened when she slammed into me.

            I tried to protest as the EMTs brought the stretcher over, along with a neck brace, but they weren’t hearing it.  They would need to bring me in to check for a concussion, they said.

            “And what about her?” I grumbled, gesturing at Edythe, who was currently climbing into the front seat of the ambulance.

            “Just lay still, miss,” was the only response I got.

            I shut my eyes as they loaded me into the back of the vehicle alongside Taylor, unable to bring myself to meet the stares of the rest of my classmates.  The ride to the hospital was quick, and I soon found myself on a white-sheeted bed surrounded by medical equipment.  Moments later, Taylor was brought to the bed next to mine.  She was definitely in far worse shape.  When the EMTs left, I quickly tore off the neck brace and tossed it under my bed.  I sat on the edge of the thin mattress and sunk my face into my hands, attempting to process everything that had happened.  I didn’t make much headway before my thoughts were interrupted.

            “Bella, I’m so, so sorry.” I looked up and realized it was Taylor who was speaking.  “I was going too fast, and I hit the ice… are you okay?  How did you get out of the way so fast?”

            “I’m fine, Taylor, really.” I paused before answering her second question.  “Um, Edythe pulled me out of the way.”

            “Edythe?  Edythe Cullen?  I didn’t even see her.”  I didn’t respond, knowing I had nothing convincing to say, aware that the truth sounded crazy.  Fortunately, I was saved from further questioning when my savior appeared as if summoned.

            “What are you, Beetlejuice?” I frowned at her. 

            She cocked an eyebrow at me in return.  “I’m merely coming in to see how you’re doing.  I see you’ve ditched the neck brace.”

            I rubbed my neck self-consciously before retorting, “And why is it that you were spared the stretcher treatment?  How _is_ your shoulder feeling, anyway?”

            “To answer your first question, it’s all in who you know.  In regards to the second, I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She kept her expression neutral, and I couldn’t see a trace of deception in her eyes.  Maybe I really had imagined the dent in the car…

            “And speaking of connections…” Edythe murmured just as the door to our room opened again, and in walked perhaps the most attractive man I had ever seen.  He was young, blond, and could easily put any movie star to shame.  I knew instantly that this had to be Edythe’s father, and it wasn’t just his good looks that tipped me off.  Like his adopted children, he too had extremely pale skin, dark gold eyes, and faint purple shadows beneath them.  I was willing to bet that his husband also possessed those traits.

            “Hello Bella, my name is Carlisle Cullen.  How are you feeling?” His voice was full of warmth, steady and smooth.

            “I’m fine, Dr. Cullen, really.  Just a couple of bumps.”

            “Edythe tells me you hit your head pretty hard.  I just need to check for a concussion.”

            “Well, it would have been a whole lot worse if Edythe hadn’t been standing so close.  Your daughter saved my life.”

            “Yes, well, that was lucky…” he trailed off as he began the examination.  I didn’t bring it up again, but I had a feeling the doctor knew more than he was letting on.  There was definitely something very peculiar about this family, and even though I knew it was a bad idea, I wanted to find out what it was.

            “Well, it looks as if you’re good to go.  Your father is in the lobby, ready to take you home.”

            “Can’t I go back to school?” I asked.

            “I think it’s best if you take it easy.  Here.” He handed me a small bottle.  “These are for the pain, if it starts to bother you.  If it gets serious, don’t hesitate to come back.”

            I thanked him, then swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up, a little too quickly, I realized as I stumbled forward.  I felt a hand, cold as snow, catch me before I could fall, and I looked up to meet Edythe’s golden gaze.  She held her hand in place for a moment longer before she was satisfied I wouldn’t fall on my face.  “Shall I walk you out?” she asked.

            “Yes, please.  I have a few questions for you, actually.” At that, her expression became guarded, her eyes wary, but she only nodded.  Once we were out in the hallway and out of earshot of Taylor, I stopped walking and rounded on her.

            “Are you going to explain how you got over to me so fast?  Or how…” I hesitated.  I knew what I wanted to ask, but I also knew that saying it out loud would make it sound even more unbelievable than it did in my mind.

            “Or how… what, exactly?  I tried to tell you, I was standing quite close by.  I’m sorry if you didn’t notice me, but I assure you I was there.”

            “No.  You weren’t.” I kept my voice firm.  “I would have seen you, and I didn’t.  Not only that, but I _know_ I saw dents, both in Taylor’s van and the car behind us.  You… you stopped that van, and then you… lifted it up.  I know it sounds crazy, believe me, but I know what I saw.”

            She watched me carefully, silent for nearly a minute.  “You’re right, it does sound crazy, and no one is going to believe you.”

            I frowned.  “It’s not like I’m planning on telling anyone, but I would like an explanation for what I saw.  It shouldn’t have been possible.”

            “Can’t you just trust me?” she said, her eyes pleading.

            “I want to, Edythe.  I really do.” I answered quietly.  “But you’re asking me to lie for you, and I will.  I just hope it’s the right decision.”

            She surprised me then by moving closer, just a couple of inches, and gently placing her hand on my cheek, so lightly I barley felt it.  She closed her eyes for several moments before saying, in a voice hardly more than a whisper, “I do, too.”

            Before I could really process what was happening, she had moved several inches away from me again.  “Come on, your dad is waiting, and likely half the student body as well.”

            I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, then followed her down the hall.  Sure enough, she was right.  Charlie had been pacing back and forth in the waiting room, and made a beeline for me as soon as he saw us come in.  A good portion of the student body was lingering several yards away.

            “Bella?  Bella, are you alright?  What did Dr. Cullen say?”

            “I’m fine, Dad, like I said at the school.  Dr. Cullen said I was fine to go home and that I probably didn’t have a concussion.  He just said I should take it easy for the rest of the day.  Honestly, I just want to go, please.”

            He nodded, then walked between me and the rest of the students towards the hospital entrance.  I turned around for one last look at Edythe, who was currently being bombarded with questions by several of our peers.  I couldn’t help but chuckle: Miss Antisocial was now the center of attention.  She looked as calm and collected as ever, though, but at the last second, she turned in my direction.  Our eyes met, and I had a feeling she was silently asking me once more to not reveal the truth of what had happened.  I nodded once, and she looked away.

            When we finally got home, headed straight for my room.  Fortunately, I had had my backpack with me throughout the whole ordeal, so I would at least be able to get some homework done.  Charlie would drive me to school in the morning, and I would take the truck home.  One nice thing about a small town, you didn’t really have to worry about leaving your vehicle somewhere overnight.

            I cracked open my Trig textbook with the intent on getting a head start on the assignment, but after ten minutes of staring at the same page with nothing to show for it, I snapped it shut.  I couldn’t concentrate on schoolwork when my mind would not stop thinking about Edythe.

            She had all but admitted that I really had seen her do the impossible that morning.  Somehow, she had stopped a moving van with nothing but her bare hands.  I knew that was a feat physically impossible for anyone, even the strongest bodybuilders, and she was no weight training champion.  In fact, she only stood a couple inches taller than me, and while toned, she wasn’t bulky.  I went over the events, trying to fathom some reasonable explanation as to how she was able to do it.  I even tried Googling it, searching for cases of “Woman lifts car”, but only turned up the very rare case of a mother achieving great feats of strength in order to save her child.  That certainly didn’t apply here.  I kept going in circles until finally, one thought crossed my mind.  It started as a whisper, one so crazy I kept dismissing it, but the more I pondered, the louder it got.  The only thing that I could think of to explain the phenomenon was that Edythe wasn’t entirely… human.

            “Okay, now you’ve officially crossed into Crazy Town,” I muttered, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head.  If she wasn’t human, then what was she?  I sat for a few minutes before digging through my backpack for a notebook and pen.  Then, I started writing down everything unusual I had noticed about Edythe (and the rest of her family).  When I was done, I read over the list to make sure I hadn’t missed anything:

-pale, ice cold skin  
-eyes that change from black to gold  
-extreme mood changes (from hostile to friendly to reserved and distant)  
-incredible good looks  
-superhuman speed and strength  
  
            I wracked my brain for anything from mythology that I knew of that fit the bill, but I had nothing.  My head was pounding, and the sun had finally set.  Exhausted, I decided to call it a night.  I popped a couple of the pills Dr. Cullen had given me, and was asleep within minutes.


	4. Meeting Halfway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to deviate significantly from the original texts. You will notice certain events take place that are similar to ones that happened in the original, but they have been vastly re-imagined.

I was at the table eating breakfast the next morning when I heard a knock at the door.  Confused, I glanced at Charlie, figuring that he had been expecting someone, but he merely shrugged.  Curiosity consuming me, I got up to answer, and when I saw who was on the other side of the door, my jaw dropped.

            Edythe was there, wearing a light cream button up open over a gray shirt, her hair somehow brilliant even in the dim light, and she was smiling at me.

            “Good morning, Bella, how are you feeling today?” she said by way of greeting.  It took me a moment to recover from the surprise enough to find my voice.

            “I-I’m good, thanks for asking.  Uh, not to be rude or anything, but what are you doing here?” I stuttered.

            “Well, when I realized that you would be without your truck this morning, I thought I might see if you’d like a ride to school.”

            “Oh…. Well, Charlie was going to give me a ride…” I trailed off.  Was I trying to refuse her?  There was a part of me that was dying to spend more time with her, partly because I was curious, and partly (if I was being honest) because she was more than a little alluring.

            “If that’s what you would prefer, but perhaps we can save your father a trip?” A corner of her mouth quirked up, and I felt my face flush. 

            “You’re right.  I just… need to finish breakfast, and get my things together… would you like to come inside?” I offered.

            “Yes, thank you.” She stepped through the doorway and into the living room.  The sight of her there, in my house, was so bizarre, as she seemed so incredibly out of place.  I turned to head upstairs to grab my backpack when I heard Charlie call out from the kitchen.

            “Bells?  Is there someone here?  I thought I heard you talking to someone.”

            “Um, yeah dad, my… friend from school is here to give me a ride.  Looks like you can just head straight for the station!” I hurried back into the kitchen, remembered my unfinished breakfast.  I quickly wolfed it down.

            “Which friend?” he prompted.  Damn.

            “Edythe… Edythe Cullen.” Charlie’s eyes widened in shock.  “Have you… met her before?” I asked tentatively.

            “Only a little, but I’ve never really talked to her, or any of the other kids.  Only Carlisle.  I didn’t realize you two had gotten friendly.”

            I felt my face flush, and hoped he wouldn’t notice.  “It’s a recent development.  I mean, she did kind of save my life yesterday.”

            Charlie only nodded, and I tried to organize my thoughts enough to remember what I was supposed to do next, but my head was swimming.  This was such an unexpected turn of events, and it was fast becoming apparent that I wasn’t prepared to handle it.

            “Well, are you going to introduce me?” he asked.

            “Bella?” I heard Edythe call, saving me from answering.  “Would you like me to get your things while you finish eating?”

            “No, thanks, that’s okay!  I’m done, I’ll…. Let me just run upstairs real fast.  I’m sorry to keep you waiting.” Turning back to Charlie, I said, “Next time, I promise.  Gotta go, though.”

            I dashed up the stairs, probably faster than was necessary, and hastily shoved my books into my bag.  I was halfway down the stairs when I realized I had forgotten my jacket, and by the time I finally did make it back down to the living room, there was a smirk of amusement plastered on Edythe’s face.  I shot her a glare.

            “Don’t say a thing.  You threw me off.” I grumbled.  “But thank you.  I know my dad appreciates it.  And I do, too.”

            “You’re quite welcome.  Are you sure you have everything?” she teased.

            “Yes, I’m sure.” I rolled me eyes.  Her only response was to raise an eyebrow and glance down at my feet.  It was then that I realized that I wasn’t wearing shoes.  I didn’t meet her eyes as I walked over to them and pulled them on with as much dignity as I could muster, and then I walked out the door without looking back at her.

            I got into the front seat of the Volvo, staring straight ahead as she climbed into the driver’s seat.  She then held out her hand towards me, and I turned reluctantly and saw that she was holding the keys to my truck.

            “Close, Bella, very close.  Although I suppose if you had forgotten them, it just would have given me an excuse to pick you up again tomorrow.”

            The heat rose to my face once again, and I quickly snatched them from her fingers.  As usual, her skin was like cool marble, and my mind flashed to the list I had made the night before.  For the first time that morning, I felt a small flash of fear.  _She knows I’m onto her.  What if this is just her way of getting me alone to…_ To what?  I shook my head slightly, not allowing myself to finish that thought.  Now I really was getting paranoid.  Besides, I still didn’t know _what_ she was, if anything.  I was jumping to conclusions, and that never lead anywhere productive.  No, I was going to have to go about this the right way, with careful observation.

            “Do I even _want_ to know how you found these?  Or when?  If I recall, they were in the pocket of my jeans upstairs.”

            “Actually, they were sitting on the table next to the couch.”

            “Oh.” I frowned, trying to remember placing them there, but I drew a blank.  I must have done it automatically after getting home. 

            “You know, I can’t help but wonder what goes through your head,” she said as she turned the ignition.  The Volvo’s gentle purr was nearly silent compared the roar of my truck.  Then we were off, the trees blurring past as she sped down the highway.

            “Holy shit, Edythe!  You _do_ realize my dad’s a cop!  If you get caught…” I stared at the speedometer.  She was going 90 on a 55 street.  There was no way even she would get herself out of a ticket.  To my surprise though, she only laughed.

            “Relax, Bella, I know what I’m doing.  I can promise you, I have never once gotten a ticket in my life.  I never even get pulled over.” She grinned again.

            I only grumbled a response, and vowed not to look out the window until we got to the school.  Which, as it turned out, only took a few more minutes.  We arrived to find a nearly empty parking lot.

            “Well, no one can say you’re not punctual.” I muttered.

            Edythe laughed, the sound enchanting.  “I do try and make a point of always being on time.” She looked at me then, and for the first time that I could recall, there was uncertainty in her eyes.  “It seems we have a bit of time before classes start.  I understand if you’d rather be alone, but I would enjoy your company, if you’d like.”

            Was I hearing that right?  _Edythe Cullen_ was asking to spend time with me, and _she_ thought that _I_ might not want to?  I stared at her, incredulous. 

            “Ah, yes, of course.  Well, no worries, there’s plenty else for me to do.  I’ll see you in bio then?” I realized then that she took my silence for rejection.

            “What?  No!  I’m sorry, I just… was caught off guard.  Again.  Yes, I’d like to.  Spend time with you, that is.”  At that, her eyes lit up, and she smiled faintly.

            “Walk with me?”

            I could only nod, amazed that this was actually happening.  My mind flashed back to that first day, to the hostility she had displayed then.  Over the past two weeks, she had become much friendlier, if not still a bit reserved.

            I broke the silence after a couple of minutes.  “I don’t think I properly thanked you yesterday, for saving my life.  So, thank you, really.  I’d be a smear in the parking lot if not for you.”

            She winced.  “It was like my body moved on its own.  I realized you were in danger and I just… acted.”

            I hesitated before voicing my next thought.  It was risky, and I didn’t want to agitate her when we were having such an enjoyable morning.  “I… saw your family yesterday, after the accident.  They didn’t look worried about you.  In fact, they seemed almost… angry.”

            Her face creased into a slight frown, and she was silent for a moment before responding.  “Yes, that.  You noticed that, did you?  I’m impressed.” She paused.  “You know, you’re far too observant for your own good.” She added.

            “I’m sorry.  They kind of stood out.” That earned a chuckle.

            “I suppose they do.  Yes, they weren’t happy with me.  Exposure and all that.”

            “So you admit that I was right?  You really did stop that van.”

            She paused again.  “Yes,” she whispered.

            “Wow.” I breathed.  “But I don’t suppose you’ll tell me how?”

            She laughed again.  “No, I’m afraid I can’t do that.  But from what I’ve learned about you so far, which isn’t all that much to be honest, you’re not going to let it go.” She glanced at me.  “I can’t convince you to, can I?”

            I thought my next words over carefully.  “I know I should.  I get the sense that… it would be in my best interest to not dig any deeper.  And I do want to respect your wishes, but…”

            “But… it’s too big to just ignore, isn’t it?  I suppose if the situation were reversed, I would want to know everything, too.  Anyone would, really.” She sighed.  “I realized after it happened what I had done, what I had risked, and yet, I couldn’t bring myself to regret it.”

            “Was I really worth saving?”

            She was silent for several seconds before finally answering.  “You’re the only person in this school aside from my family that I’ve shared more than a few words with.  You’re the only one I’ve talked to out of _desire_ rather than necessity.  And there were other, more… complicated factors at play, too, but I can’t explain them.” She sat down on the edge of a planter then, her movements fluid and flawless as always.

            I hesitated before sitting down next to her, watching her as she stared off into the distance.  It was plain to see that she was deep in thought.  Finally, she said, “Bella, I understand that our relationship has gotten quite… complicated, but I have found that I do in fact enjoy your company.  You’re inquisitive and engaging, and you’re not afraid to say what you think.” She smirked again.  “So many people are too intimidated by us, and that’s understandable.”

            “You scared me on that first day.” I whispered.

            “Ah, yes.  For that, I am truly sorry.  That was inexcusable, but I won’t let it happen again.  I do so wish I could offer you a better explanation, but…” she trailed off.

            “I get it.  You can’t.  Man, whatever secret you guys are hiding, it must be big.  I can promise you, I haven’t talked to anyone about all this, not even my dad, and I don’t intend to.  I… enjoy your company, too, and I don’t want to violate your trust and ruin all this.”

            “So I take that to mean we can continue being friends?” she asked, turning her dark gold gaze on me.  I nodded.

            “I would like that.” My heart was hammering, and for the first time I found I was considering the possibility of something more than friendship with her, but there was no way I was about to voice that out loud.  I still didn’t even know exactly what she was capable of.

            As we turned a corner, the parking lot, now filled with cars, came into view, and I realized we had walked the entire perimeter of the school.  The first bell would be ringing soon, and Edythe and I would have to part ways.  I glanced over at her to find her staring at me, a small smile tugging at her lips.

            “Well, thank you, Bella, this has been quite… pleasant.  I’m glad we’ve established something, at least.  Shall I see you at lunch?” she asked.

            Did she want to sit together in the cafeteria?  “Yeah, sure.  You’re welcome to join us, if you want.  Your family won’t mind?”

            An unreadable expression crossed her face.  “Well, I suppose… I was rather hoping that we might sit alone.”

            I thought about it for a moment.  I didn’t want to ditch my friends, but I also didn’t want to suddenly force Edythe upon them, especially when Edythe didn’t seem too crazy about the idea.

            “How about… we go it alone today, but maybe you might join us another day?  They are my friends, after all, and I don’t want to just… skip out on them.”

            “That seems fair.  Forgive me, I’m not used to socializing, but I suppose I wouldn’t be a very good friend if I asked you to choose.”

            “I think it’s also fair to them to give them a heads up.” I laughed.

            “Quite true,” she agreed.

            We stared at each other for a moment longer then, and I suddenly felt incredibly awkward.  For a moment I thought about closing the distance between her and putting my arms around her, but I got the feeling that wouldn’t go over too well.  Instead I did nothing, until she finally nodded.

            “I’ll see you later, Bella.” And she was gone, leaving me to stare at the spot where she had just been.  I nearly jumped out of my skin when a hand touched my shoulder and a voice in my ear said my name.

            “Hey Bella, you in there?” It was Eric.  “Come on, we’re gonna be late!”

            I shook myself and tried to get my heart to return to a normal pace.  “Right.  Thanks.  Hi, Eric, by the way.”

            He grinned his familiar, relaxed smile.  “Hi to you, too.  Are you alright?” he asked as we made our way to class.

            “Yeah, I’m fine, sorry.  Just… spaced out for a moment there.  I’m fine, promise.”

            “We’ve all been kinda worried after yesterday.  You didn’t get too hurt, did you?”

            It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the accident with Taylor.  After this morning, the previous day felt like forever ago, and strangely inconsequential.  But of course my friends wouldn’t see it that way, and I realized I probably should have contacted them the day before to let them know I was ok.

            “No Eric, I’m okay, I just bumped my head, but Dr. Cullen said it was nothing serious.”

            He breathed a sigh of relief.  “That’s good.  So, did your dad take you to school?”

            “Um, no.  Edythe picked me up.” I muttered, not meeting his eye.

            “Woah, seriously?  Edythe Cullen?” It was impossible to miss the shock in his voice.

            “Are there even any other Edythes in this school?” I teased, and he laughed.

            At that point, we arrived in class and our conversation was brought to a halt, but as we took our seats I could see him shaking his head and mouthing “Wow”.  I rolled my eyes and smiled, grateful for Eric’s laidback nature after the emotional rollercoaster of that morning. 

           

As my morning classes commenced, I did my best to put Edythe from my mind and focus on my work.  I wasn’t about to let my grades suffer just because of this recent development in our relationship.  When the bell rang that signaled the start of lunch, I hurried to catch Jessica before Mike met us.

            “Hey Jess, how are you?” I asked, slowing down as I came up next to her.

            “Bella!  I haven’t had the chance to talk to you since yesterday!  I’m guessing since you’re here you weren’t hurt too bad.  I hear the hospital wanted to keep Taylor for one more day, but I think she’s alright.”

            “Yeah, she looked pretty banged up when I saw her, but I’m fine.” I felt like I had said that about a hundred times in the past twenty-four hours, but it really was touching to know how much my friends cared, even though we hadn’t known each other that long.  “Actually, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about before we got to the cafeteria.”

            “What’s up?” she asked.

            “Well… I sort of agreed to have lunch with Edythe today.  She gave me a ride to school this morning and asked if I would sit with her.” I did my best to keep my voice even and casual.

            Jess’s eyes widened, and then she grinned.  “Well damn Bella.  You’ve been here for just a few weeks and you’ve already made friends with a Cullen.  Call me impressed.”    

            “I honestly don’t know how it happened.  It’s… a little crazy, but I guess sharing a near-death experience with someone will bring people together.” I didn’t add that I had a feeling that Edythe’s life had never been in any danger.

            “I suppose so.  So… does this mean you won’t be sitting with us anymore?” she asked quietly.

            “No, no way.  You guys reached out to me on my first day, made me feel welcome, and I’m not about to throw that away for…”

            “For the hottest girl in school?”

            “Well… yeah, if you want to be blunt about it.  Actually, I’m hoping we might all be able to sit together soon.  If things go well, maybe it’ll be okay if she joins us?” I knew I was asking a tall order, wanting my group to accept someone who had always been distant and reserved.

            “That would certainly be something, wouldn’t it?  Edythe Cullen eating lunch with us.  And what about her family?”

            I hadn’t even really considered that.  “I think they’ll keep doing what they’ve always done.  I haven’t even spoken to any of them yet.  This is all very new.”

            “Well, I’m okay with it, and I’m sure the others will be, too.  Or at least, they’ll get used to it.” She smiled encouragingly at me, and the tension I had been feeling evaporated.  Jessica had been my closest friend here at school, and I didn’t want her to think I was ditching her.

            I didn’t see Edythe when I first got to the cafeteria, but by the time I had filled my tray and turned to find an empty table, she was already sitting there.  She didn’t have any food with her.  I turned to Jess one more time, and she nodded encouragingly at me before going over to our usual table.  I slowly made my way to Edythe.

            “Hi again.” I said, unsure of what else to say. 

            “Hi again,” she repeated, her expression relaxed. “So it seems as if your friend is rather… supportive.”

            I laughed nervously.  “That’s one way of putting it.  I don’t think she really knows what to make of… this.” I gestured vaguely at her.  “In fact, I’m not sure I do, either.”

            She stared intently at me.  “Well, like I said this morning, I certainly like the idea of us being friends.  I know we got off to a bit of a rocky start, but if you can forgive my horrid behavior from the other week, I’d like to start over.”

            I nodded.  “I think I can manage that.  We all have bad days.”

            She chuckled darkly, more to herself than anything.  “Some of us more than others,” she muttered.

            I contemplated that, and decided to save that mystery for another time.  I glanced at the empty space on the table in front of her.  “So, no lunch today?”

            “I’m not especially hungry.” Her eyes twinkled as if enjoying a private joke.  This wasn’t the first time I had noticed that expression, and it likely wasn’t a coincidence.  It was somehow all part of the bigger picture, I was certain.

            “Fair enough.  So… wow.  I know I have a million questions for you, but I don’t think you’ll answer any of them.”

            “Probably not, so is it alright then if I ask you a few of my own?”

            I shrugged.  “I suppose that’s fair.”

            “You’ve been theorizing about me, haven’t you?”

            “How can I not?  I’m not trying to pry, but… like you said, anyone would be curious.”

            “I know.” She closed her eyes, and for a moment she was so perfectly still it appeared as if she had become a marble statue.  Then she returned to life, and her expression was unreadable.  “Do you have any theories?”

            “Not really.” I answered truthfully.  “I… I sort of wrote down a list of things I had noticed about you.  Things that were, well, unusual, and I tried to think of anything I knew of that fit, but I just kept drawing blanks.  I suppose that’s a relief to you, isn’t it?”

            “In a way, yes.  But at the same time, I would also be relieved if you _did_ know.  That way, all the cards would be on the table, and I would know for sure how you’d handle it.”

            “So it’s… bad?” I asked quietly.

            She grimaced.

            “Oh.” I thought about this revelation, knowing it would send me down an entirely new path.  Or at the very least, it would serve as a sort of elimination process.  I studied her closely, deciding that since we were sitting together, that would be acceptable.  She really was incredibly beautiful, her skin smooth, her features even, with hair that always looked immaculate enough to be in a shampoo commercial.  She looked like a movie star, along with the rest of her family, and it seemed absurd that they chose to live in this small, sleepy gray town, as opposed to somewhere full of glitz and glamour.  I knew there had to be a very specific reason for that choice.

            “You’re being awfully quiet,” she noted.

            “Sorry, just thinking.  You’re an enigma, you know that?”

            She laughed at that.  “I could say the same for you.”

            “You know, you’ve said things like that before.  The other day you mentioned how you’re normally very good at reading people, but not with me.  I wonder why that is.”

            “I couldn’t begin to fathom.  That’s part of your charm, you know.” She leaned across the table, an alluring smile playing across her lips.  I felt my heart speed up a bit.

            “My charm?” I said weakly.

            “Oh yes, I’m quite drawn to you, and for that I’m sorry.  I’m sure it’s only making your life more complicated.”

            “More interesting, to say the least.” I responded.  “But I don’t mind.”

            Her face relaxed, and she seemed genuinely surprised at my answer.  Finally, she said, “You haven’t touched your food.”

            She was right, of course, and I hastily started in on my pizza.  I eventually picked up my apple and, thinking for a moment, held it out to her.  “You sure you don’t want anything?”

            “No, thank you.  Really, I’m not hungry.”  I shrugged and bit into it, then paused, staring at her.  I suddenly remembered that I had never seen her, or any of her siblings for that matter, eat anything at lunch.  If they had trays, they always dumped them at the end, still full, food untouched.  _Well, they have money, and I bet they eat exceptionally well at home.  I’m sure school lunch isn’t good enough for them._   It was a weak idea, and I knew it, but I needed something normal to cling to, some mundane explanation for their strange behavior.

            “What could possibly be going through your mind now?” Edythe mused.  I wasn’t sure if she was expecting an answer, or just being rhetorical.

            “You probably don’t want to know.” I admitted.

            She met my gaze again.  “You’re hypothesizing again, aren’t you?”

            “Not exactly.  More like… making an observation.  But I’m probably just overthinking things.  I tend to do that a lot.” I offered as way of an explanation.

            “Well, I’ve already accepted that I can’t stop you from pursuing this.”

            “Will you be honest with me?  If I manage to guess correctly, that is.”

            Her expression became conflicted, and she was silent for so long I figured she wasn’t going to respond.  When her answer came, it was hardly even a whisper.  “Yes.”

            I could only stare at her again, knowing that she must have felt as though she were condemning herself with that promise, and I almost told her to forget about it.  Almost.  I did feel guilty though, investigating her life and the lives of her family when they so clearly had a secret they did not want known, but the mystery that surrounded them was slowly becoming an obsession, and I knew I would have to be careful to not let it consume me.  I knew that, no matter what I discovered if I did learn the truth, I would keep the promise I had made to her the day before.  I wouldn’t tell anyone.  I wouldn’t betray her like that.

            Finally, the bell rang, and I half expected her to be out the door before I even had my backpack on, but she stood there waiting for me as I gathered my things.  Without saying a word, she led the way to bio, and when we walked in together, I was very much aware of more than a few people staring.  I decided I didn’t care. 


	5. Crush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO sorry it's been so long! I've been rather busy, but here we go: chapter 5! I can't promise any kind of regular schedule, but I can promise that I plan on seeing this through to the end.

The following day, Edythe stayed true to her promise and joined my regular group at lunch.  She didn’t say much, but the others were fascinated and a little intimidated by her presence.  However, she continued to sit with us for the rest of the week, and soon the others got used to her.  Jessica was still amazed that I had befriended her, but I made a point to set aside time for Jess as well, even inviting her over for a study session the following Wednesday night.  As we worked on our Trig homework and munched on potato chips, she brought up a subject I had completely forgotten about.

            “So, the spring dance is coming up pretty soon,” she said.  “You planning on going?  It’s girl’s choice.”

            “Oh man, I had completely forgotten.  When is that?  Two weeks, right?”

            “Two weeks from Saturday, yeah.  I mean, I’m thinking…” she trailed off, cheeks red.  “I think I’m going to ask Mike.”

            “You definitely should!” I encouraged.  “I know you’ve had a thing for him for a while.”

            “Yeah, I have but… and don’t take this the wrong way, because I don’t blame you, but I think he’s got a bit of a crush on you.”

            I exhaled.  Right.  That.  “I… kind of figured that too, but I’ve just been ignoring it and hoping it’ll not be an issue.  I feel bad… I should just tell him, shouldn’t I?”

            She looked thoughtful for a moment.  “That’s your decision, Bella.  I mean, it’s a small town.  I understand if you’re not ready to, y’know… come out.  But it might make things easier for him, make him realize he doesn’t have any hope.”

            I sighed, twirling my pencil absentmindedly in my fingers.  She was right, of course, but I hadn’t even really told anyone at my old school.  Only my mom and my two closest friends knew.

            “Besides,” she continued, snapping me out of my thoughts, “if you and Edythe end up going out, everyone’s gonna find out anyway.”

            I accidentally sent my pencil flying across the room, giving me an excuse to delay responding.  When I settled back down on the floor, Jess was in hysterics.

            “Alright, alright.” I shot her a look.  “Anyway, I really don’t think that’s going to happen.  She and I are just friends.  Besides, we haven’t even known each other that long.”

            “Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re into her.  And I’d bet anything that she’s into you, too.”

            I blushed hard.  “What makes you say that?”

            “Oh come on, Bella.  The Cullens have been at this school for almost two years, and they have _never_ gotten close to anyone, and then all of a sudden you show up and boom, Edythe can hardly keep away from you.  It doesn’t take a genius to figure something’s up.”

            “I don’t even know for sure that’s she’s into girls.” I muttered, having given up trying to deny my own feelings.  She was right again.  I _did_ have a thing for Edythe, and I had been doing my best to ignore it.  I just hadn’t realized how obvious I had been.

            “Well, there’s only one way to find out, right?” she said excitedly.

            “And what would that be?”

            “Ask her to the dance, duh!” she rolled her eyes at my cluelessness.

            Oh, right.  I shook my head, knowing I wasn’t going to work up to the nerve to do that.  I tried to imagine myself, arm in arm with Edythe as we walked into the school gym for a night of dancing.  I had to admit, I liked the idea of it, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

            “Aaanyway,” I picked up my pencil and notebook again.  “Don’t we have studying to do?”

            Jess only laughed, proud of herself for extracting the confession from me.  We finished up the night’s homework around 8, and Jessica headed home with one last wink and a “Good luck!”

           

The following day at lunch, Jess was unusually quiet, her normally high spirits definitely low.  I managed to pull her aside for a moment to ask her what was wrong.

            “I asked Mike to go to the dance,” she began.  “He said he’d have to think about it.”

            “Oh Jess, I’m sorry.” I said, pulling her into a hug.  “I have a bad feeling I know why… and I think I’m going to need to talk to him.”

            “You’ll do that for me?” She looked up at me, her green eyes shining.

            “Of course I will.  I just… don’t know how to go about it.  But I’ll figure something out, I promise.”

            When we made our way back to the table, Edythe was looking at me with a quizzical expression.  “I’ll explain later.” I whispered to her, and she nodded.

            When the bell rang, she placed her hand gently on my arm, indicating that she didn’t want to leave just yet.

            “So it seems there’s trouble in paradise?” she asked.

            “Yeah, it’s… complicated.”

            “I think I got the gist of it.  Your friend wants to take Newton to the dance, but he turned her down because… he wants to go with you.  Does that sound right?”

            I could only gape at her.  “How on Earth did you know all that?”

            She smirked.  “It really wasn’t too hard to figure out.  What I wanted to ask was… what are you going to say to him?  Are you turning him away just for the sake of your friend?”

            “You mean, do I secretly want to go to the dance with Mike Newton?” She nodded once.  “Definitely not.  He’s… not my type.”

            “I see.  And what exactly is your type?”

            I cleared my throat.  That was definitely _not_ a conversation I wanted to have with her just then.  “I think that’s best saved for another time.  Come on, we’re going to be late.”

            “I’m, ah, not going to class today, actually.”

            I frowned.  “Really?  You don’t seem like the type to ditch out halfway through the day.”

            “Normally no, but it’s healthy to skip every now and then.  I’ll see you later, Bella.” She then turned and left through the back door of the cafeteria, towards the parking lot.  I quickly gathered my things and half ran to biology.

            When I got there, I was glad to see that Ms. Banner hadn’t arrived yet.  I was surprised, however, to find Mike standing by my desk.

            “Hey Mike,” I said casually.  “What’s up?”

            He was being uncharacteristically quiet, staring at his feet and tapping his fingers on the top of my desk.

            “Um, not much.  So… did Jess tell you she asked me to the dance?” he began.

            “Yes, and she also told me what your response was.” I said disapprovingly.  “Why didn’t you accept?”

            “Well… I was sort of… hoping you might ask me.” The last words were nothing more than a mumble.

            I sighed.  It was now or never.  At least he was saving me the trouble of bringing up the subject myself.  “Mike, I’m sorry, but that’s not going to happen.”

            He looked at me then, eyes filled with hurt.  “Is there something wrong with me?”

            “No, Mike, it’s not that.  It’s not personal, I promise.”

            “Did you already ask someone else?”

            “No, not it’s not that, either.” I struggled to push thoughts of Edythe out of my mind.  “Mike, I’m… I’m gay.” I said quietly.

            His eyes got big then, his mouth falling open in a silent gape.  Finally, he managed a quiet, “Oh.”

            I smiled apologetically at him.  “I’m sorry, I probably should have told you sooner.  It’s just… not easy to bring up.  I hope you can forgive me.”

            He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he had the look of one who had accepted his fate.  “Of course I do.  I’m just glad you were honest with me.”

            “You really should say yes to Jessica.  You guys will have a lot of fun.”

            “Yeah.  Yeah, I’ll do that.  And Bella?” he said as he started to walk back to his seat.  “Ask her before it’s too late.”

            I was too stunned to respond, and just then Ms. Banner walked in, calling the class to order.  I took my seat and tried not to think about the fact that even Mike had figured out, in a matter of seconds, how I felt about Edythe.  As it turned out, I didn’t have to worry about it for long, because Ms. Banner was explaining what we would be doing in class, and I felt myself go cold.

            She was holding up a couple of boxes, informing us that there would be a blood drive in Port Angeles next week, and that it would be a good idea for us to all know our blood type beforehand, in case we wanted to participate.  I swallowed hard and stared straight ahead as she demonstrated on a boy at the front of the class before passing out the equipment.  When she got to me, she paused.

            “Bella?  You look pale.  Are you okay?”

            “I… I’m fine.  I just don’t do so well with needles.  Or blood.  I’m sorry.”

            “Do you want to go to the nurse’s office?”

            I nodded weakly, hating myself for reacting this way.  I stood up slowly and grabbed my bag.

            “Would you like someone to go with you?” she asked.

            “No, I… I can manage.” I felt dizzy even as I said the words, but I was determined not to showcase my sensitivity to anyone else.  She nodded reluctantly, and I made my way to the door.

            Once I was out in the fresh air, I sat down on the ground next to a pillar and leaned my head against the cool concrete.  I closed my eyes and breathed in slowly, trying to stop my head from spinning.  That’s when I heard her voice.

            “Bella, what happened?  What are you doing out here?” Edythe was standing over me, an unconcealed look of concern creasing her face.

            “Oh no, I so didn’t want you to see me like this.” I sunk my face into my hands in shame.

            “Are you hurt?” She kneeled down next to me and placed her hand on my shoulder.

            “Just my pride.” I murmured, looking up at her.  A part of my brain registered that her eyes had grown dark again, the gold almost completely obscured by that familiar pitch black.

            “Was it the blood typing?” she asked.

            “How’d you… never mind.  That’s why you ditched, isn’t it?  Are you telling me _you_ get squeamish around blood?”

            “Something like that.” She stood and offered me her hand.  “I’m willing to bet you were on your way to the nurse’s office, correct?”

            “Yeah.  I think I’ll just wait there until class is over.  No sense going back now.  I’ll just be turning right around again.”

            Without a word, she placed her hand around my waist to help support me, and we made our way across campus.  Her arm around me was definitely serving as a nice distraction.  While we walked, she remained silent, and I noticed a look of intense concentration on her face.

            When we were outside the office door, she stopped and turned to me.  “Now, do you just want to wait for your next class, or would getting out of gym be better?”

            Oh shit, gym.  I had forgotten that was my next class.  “Are you busting me out?” I chuckled dryly.

            The familiar grin was back in place.  “That, I can definitely do. Just come inside, sit down, and try and look like shit.”  Well, that wouldn’t be hard.

            The nurse looked up as we came in, Edythe once again supporting me, and I upped the sick factor just a bit, breathing more heavily and letting my eyes glaze over.  I could feel Edythe suppressing a snigger.

            “Oh dear, what’s going on?”

            “We were blood typing in Banner’s class, and Bella didn’t react so well.” Edythe explained.

            “Ah, of course.  There’s always one.  Come dear, in here.” She led me into a side room with a bed that was far too similar to the one in the hospital for my comfort, but I sat down anyway.

            “Edythe, I’m sure you can return to class now,” the nurse said.

            “I’m supposed to stay with her.  In fact, she has gym next period, and I don’t think she’s up for it.  I think it would be best if I took her home.”

            The nurse looked back over at me, and it didn’t take her long to agree.  “I’ll just make sure Bella is excused.  Do you need me to write you a slip as well, Edythe?” I was surprised to realize that even the nurse was affected by Edythe’s charm.

            “That’s alright, I have Mrs. Goff.  She won’t mind.”

            The nurse disappeared for a moment.  When she returned, she said, “Alright dear, you’re all taken care of.  You feel better now.”

            Edythe offered me her hand again, which I accepted gratefully.  For the third time in just the past ten minutes, she slipped her arm around me.  By this point, I was definitely feeling better, but the show was necessary, at least until we got to the parking lot.  Not that I was really complaining, of course.

            Once we were away from the office, Edythe dropped her arm, and I made my way to my truck, surprised when something tugging on my jacket brought me to complete halt.  I turned to see Edythe with one hand gripping the hood of my parka.

            “And where do you think you’re going?” she asked, her tone amused.

            “To my truck.” I struggled not to add, _Duh._

            “I don’t think so.  I promised Mrs. Cope that I would take you home, and I fully intend to do that.”

            “That’s not necessary, really.  I can drive.  Besides, I don’t like the idea of leaving my truck behind again.”

            “Don’t worry, I’ll have Alice drop it off later.  Charlie will never have to know.  Now come on, to my car.  Or do you I have to drag you?”

            “I don’t doubt that you could,” I grumbled, and followed her several spaces down.

            Once we were inside, she started the heater and turned down the music.

            “Clair de Lune?” I asked, surprised to hear something I recognized.

            “You know Debussy?” Her surprise mirrored my own.

            “Just a little.  My mom used to play it.” A thought crossed my mind then.  “Wait, how did you know where I was?  I thought you had left.”

            “Actually, I had just come to my car.  I’m still the ride for the others, you know.”

            We drove down the highway, her speed the same as it had been the previous week.  I didn’t bother commenting on it, figuring it wouldn’t do any good.  She was silent for much of the drive, only speaking once we pulled up outside my house.

            “So.” She frowned as if trying to decide what to say next.  “Did you talk to Mike?”

            “Um, yes, I did.” I was stunned that she was asking about this.  “You know, I have to say, I didn’t think this was the sort of thing you cared about.”

            She chortled at that.  “You’ve got me, Bella.  Normally, no, but then again, I’ve never really made any friends here before you, so I’m trying to take an interest in these sorts of things, at least when it comes to you.” She looked apologetic.  “Does it bother you?”

            “No, not at all.  But you know, you don’t have to talk about things you don’t care about, really.”

            “I don’t think that’s how it works when you’re friends with someone.  Aren’t you supposed to take an interest in their lives?”

            I struggled to find the words. “Yeah, of course.  It’s just… well, strange, for some reason, talking about something so completely… _high school_ , with you.  Up until now our interactions have always been more… intense.”

            Edythe laughed again.  “Maybe I’m trying to change that.  This _is_ high school, Bella.  It shouldn’t be so somber.”

            “Fair enough.” I glanced at the clock on her dashboard.  School wouldn’t let out for another hour.  “Hey, would you like to come in for a bit?  Until you have to go pick up the others, that is.”

            She hesitated.  “Thank you for the offer, but I have something I need to take care of.”

            “Oh, alright then,” I said, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.  “So, I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

            “I’m afraid I have to disappoint you once again.  We’re all starting the weekend a bit early.  The weather is supposed to be nice, and Carlisle wanted to take advantage of it.  We’ll be going camping, starting tomorrow.”

            “I see.” This time, there was no hiding how crestfallen I felt.  I moved to get out of the car when her hand reached out, much quicker than I would have thought possible, and rested on my shoulder.

            “I really am sorry, Bella.  I promise, I’m not trying to avoid you, if that’s what you’re thinking.”  Her voice was sincerely apologetic as she met my eyes.

            “I wasn’t…” I began, but gave up before finishing the thought.  I got the feeling she wouldn’t believe me, no matter how hard to read she claimed I was.  She surprised me even further, then, by pulling me into a gentle embrace.  I felt my stomach drop down and my heartrate go up, and I was certain that she could feel it, but for once I didn’t care.  I hardly dared to breathe, afraid to ruin the moment.  I lasted for only about thirty seconds, and then she was holding me at arm’s length.

            “I’m sorry, I know that was… forward of me.  But I wanted to know what it was like,” she smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what went on in her life to make her feel like she had to apologize for hug.

            “Don’t be.  I didn’t mind.  Like, at all.”  I realized I was dangerously close to revealing how I had been feeling about her lately, and quickly reigned myself in.  _Friendship, Bella, she’s talking about friendship.  Don’t get any ideas,_ I chastised myself.

            “Well, anyway… I should be on my way.  I will see you Monday, though, and that’s a promise.”

            I gathered my things and stumbled out the car, heart still going a mile a minute, and I knew I would be replaying in my head what had just transpired for the rest of the evening.  “Thanks for the ride.  Again.”

            She shot me her usual smile and simply said “Enjoy the sunshine,” before driving off at top speed.  I made my way into the house in a sort of haze, still not quite convinced that all of that had been real.  Maybe I was still suffering some side effect of the accident from the week before.  I shook myself.  No, it had definitely been real.  My face was still tingling from where it had brushed against hers when she hugged me.  I hated how hypersensitive I was to her, but I had given up fighting it.  I was crushing, and I was crushing hard.  I kept telling myself that there was no way she would be interested in me that way, but a part of me admitted that it was just an excuse to not put myself out there.  Jess would give me endless grief for missing my chance to ask her to the dance, but it was too late now.

            I somehow managed to get through my homework, but halfway through, I glanced out my window and was shocked to see my truck sitting in its usual place.  I didn’t even remember handing Edythe my keys, and I never heard the old monster pull up, and yet there it was.  I was still mulling over the impossibility of it as I made dinner.  If Charlie noticed anything was amiss, he didn’t mention it, and I was eternally grateful.  I knew Jess would bombard me with questions the next day, I needed some time to prepare my answers.  But there was more on my mind than a simple crush.  There were now more pieces of the puzzle, and I needed to set my feelings aside if I was going to solve it.

            After dinner, I made my way back up to my room and pulled out the list I had started the week before.  I wrote “apparently never eats” at the bottom with a circled question mark next to it.  To be more accurate, I had never seen her eat.  I think she had said something about a special diet, whatever that meant.  She did look well-toned… perhaps she was on some sort of lean protein athletic diet… okay, that was _definitely_ grasping at straws.  As far as I knew, no one in her family played on any of the school teams, and there weren’t exactly a lot of recreational teams out here.  Maybe she just wanted to stay in good shape for her family’s hiking trips… that did seem plausible, but still, why then did she never bring any food from home?  And why did they often fill their trays only to throw it all away?  It was like they were trying to keep up some sort of pretense, doing normal things half-assed, hoping no one would pay enough attention to notice.

            I mulled it over for another twenty minutes or so before exhaustion finally caught up to me, and I had to admit defeat, at least for the night.  I got into my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and climbed into bed, trying not to think about the fact that I wouldn’t see Edythe for three more days.

 

The next day, my suspicions proved correct when, upon seeing me in Spanish, Jessica began hounding me for details of my time alone with Edythe.  Somehow, word had gotten out that she had taken me home (I suspected Mrs. Cope was to blame), and Jess was practically on the edge of her seat when I walked into the classroom three minutes before the bell.  I promised to fill her in on the way to lunch, and she appeared to be satisfied with that for now, at least. 

            No one else seemed to care about what was going on with me and the youngest member of the Cullen family.  Everyone else was too distracted by the weather, which was, as Edythe had said the day before, uncharacteristically sunny.  It was still a measly 64 degrees out, but there was almost no wind, and only a few sparse clouds in the sky.  According to the forecast, it was supposed to last into the following day, and when Mike met up with us after Trig, he was talking excitedly about a beach trip he’d been trying to plan for a while.  He intended to make it happen tomorrow, and asked us both if we were still interested.

            “Definitely!” Jess said with enthusiasm, as I had expected her to.  I also agreed, with perhaps a bit less excitement, but I was still looking forward to it, and I really _did_ want to thank Billy.  Besides, it would be a good chance to hang out with my new friends outside of school, something I rarely did.  It was a pity Edythe wouldn’t be able to come, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t have a good time.  I might have become slightly obsessed, but that didn’t mean my life revolved around her.

            “So,” Jess whispered to me as Mike began talking to another of his friends.  “What _did_ happen between you and Edythe yesterday?”

            “Nothing!” I said, a little too quickly.  “Well, nothing exciting.  I… didn’t feel too well during bio, and then I ran into her on the way to the nurse’s office.  She helped me get out of gym, then drove me home.  It was nothing, I swear.”

            She was clearly disappointed at the lack of details.  “Oh come on, _nothing?_   Wait… you didn’t ask her to the dance, did you?”

            “No, I didn’t.  I told you, I don’t think she sees me that way, and that’s fine, really.  It doesn’t matter.  It’s just a crush.  I’ll get over it.”  I knew I didn’t sound convincing, and I could see as much on Jess’s face, but thankfully she let it drop as we got to lunch room.

            A part of me still hoped that I might see her when we walked into the cafeteria, but she and her siblings were nowhere to be found.  As we sat down, the others took note of the absence of the group’s newest member.

            “Hey Bella, where’s Edythe today?” Eric asked me.

            “Um, she said something about going camping with her family this weekend.” I did my best to keep my voice casual.

            “Oh, of course,” Jess chimed in.  “The Cullens always go on trips when the weather’s nice.  It doesn’t happen very often, so I guess they like to enjoy it while they can.”

            That was understandable, and fairly normal, I supposed, but I still made a note to add it to my list when I got home.  At this point, anything that stood out in any way made the cut.  I briefly wondered at that point if my infatuation was fueled more by the mystery that surrounded her and her family, rather than Edythe herself, but then I thought of her face, her voice, that little smile she often flashed, and I knew that wasn’t the case.  It was her, without a doubt, and I let out a small sigh.  I was in way, way over my head with this one.

            Lunch came to an end, and biology went by at an achingly slow speed.  Then I was off to gym, where we had finished volleyball and were onto basketball.  I had a slightly easier time with that one.  Apparently using my hands to aim a ball rather than my arms was safer.  When the final bell rang and I had changed back into my regular clothes, I was eager to get home.  I wanted to spend a little more time doing some research on the things that were on my list before Charlie got home.

            I had been sitting at my ancient computer for over an hour with almost nothing to show for it.  The machine took about five minutes just to load a single page, and even when it finally did load, Google proved to be less than helpful.  For the first time, I started to wonder if maybe whatever secret the Cullens were hiding, it was unique to them, meaning there would be no record of it anywhere online.  I sighed and rubbed my temples, attempting to stave off the headache that was threatening to kick in.  Finally giving up, I powered off the machine and went downstairs to start on dinner.

            As I was cooking, I decided to try and put Edythe and her family from my mind for the next couple of days.  I instead looked ahead to the next day, which promised to be a much-needed distraction.  We would be meeting at Mike’s family’s shop at noon, and would carpool to the reservation from there.

            During dinner, I told Charlie about my plans, and he smiled, glad to see that I was getting along so well with my new friends.  “Say hi to Billy for me if you see him, and tell him I need some more of Sue Clearwater’s fish fry.  I’m getting far too low.”

            “I will, don’t worry.  And hey, if you manage to catch anything good tomorrow, I’ll cook up something special,” I told him, referring to his fishing plans for the following day.  I smiled to myself as I realized just how comfortable life was getting here.  I could get used to this.


	6. Dark Tales

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, Chapter Six! This was a fun one to write. I love Julie Black so much. Also, I figure I'll give you all the disclaimer now: there will be NO love triangle with her. Sorry, love triangles are so overplayed, but don't worry, we WILL see a deep bond of friendship grow between her and Bella. She has a role to play, and she will get more fleshed out in later chapters.

The following morning proved the weather report to be accurate, as I could still see faint rays of sunshine filter through my curtains when I awoke.  When I peeked out my window, I could see that the clouds were beginning to make a hesitant return, but it looked as though they would stay away for the better part of the day.

            I got dressed quickly, opting for a t-shirt and my parka, anticipating that it would be colder by the beach and that there was a good change that we would stay into the evening.  I remembered Mike saying something about hot dogs and a bonfire, something I had never experienced before, and I was looking forward to it.

            I found that Charlie had already left for the day, which wasn’t that surprising considering fishing required an early start.  I still had a couple hours to go until I was supposed to meet the others, and I was definitely too keyed up to sit still, so I decided to get a little cleaning in.  With only the two of us living here, and the fact that we both spent so much time out of the house, the place didn’t exactly get all that dirty, but the kitchen and downstairs bathroom could both do with a bit of a scrubbing.  Once the counter in the kitchen was wiped down, I took care of the sink, toilet, and mirror in the bathroom.  When that was done, I still had an hour to go, so I also tackled the upstairs bathroom and the shower.  Satisfied with my work, I checked the time, and saw that it was 11:30.  I realized then that I hadn’t had breakfast, so I poured a bowl of cereal and downed it, then figured it was safe for me to head out.  I hated being the first one to show up for an event, but I also didn’t like to be late.  It would take about fifteen minutes to get to the Newton’s shop, and I hoped that a few of the others would have shown up by the time I got there.

            When I arrived, I was relieved to see that I was not the first one there, as I spotted Jessica’s car parked next to Mike’s jeep in the parking lot.  As far as I could tell, they were the only ones there, and I hesitated before pulling into the lot.  I didn’t want to interrupt anything, if they had decided to take advantage of their time alone.  I needn’t have worried though, as they both walked out of the shop and waved, presumably notified of my arrival by the roar of my truck.

            “Hey Bella!” Jess called as I got out of the cab.  “We’re so glad you could make it!  We’re still waiting for, well… pretty much everyone else, but this is going to be a lot of fun!”

            I grinned, her enthusiasm infectious, and then noticed for the first time that her hand was linked with Mike’s, and my smile widened as I raised an eyebrow at her.  She blushed slightly, but was clearly glowing with happiness, and I was overjoyed that things seemed to be working out between them.  Sure, it was new, but still, it looked promising.

            Over the next ten minutes, the rest of the group showed up.  Angela, Eric, and Taylor (whose arm was still in a sling) all showed up in Eric’s mom’s minivan, and about six other kids from our class that I didn’t know as well, but could still easily name, arrived at varying times.  It was agreed that Eric would be one of the drivers, as he could fit six others in the van along with himself.  We split the rest of us into Mike’s jeep and a sedan that belonged to a girl named Lauren, and then we were off.  I had jumped into the jeep along with Jess and two other kids, David and Rachel, who sat with us at lunch. 

            The drive took us twenty minutes, and we spent the time chatting about classes, which teachers we liked and which ones we thought could stand to loosen up a little, the big English paper that was due in two weeks, and our worst presentation experiences.  It was lighthearted, and I found myself getting drawn into the frivolous chatter.  It was a welcome change from the intensity that had been dominating my life for the past several weeks.  As much as I enjoyed being around Edythe, there was no denying that she made it a lot harder to relax and just… be a teenager. 

            I soon realized that bringing my parka had been the right decision: the beach _was_ a lot colder than Forks, mainly due to the fact that we no longer had the thick forest to shield us from the piercing ocean breeze.  Still, the sunshine was rather enjoyable, and our group soon joined up with a crowd of teenagers from the reservation, and our numbers doubled.  I stood awkwardly for a moment before I noticed Angela and Jess sitting on one of several logs surrounding a bonfire pit, and I made my way over to join them.

            “There you are!” Angela greeted me as I sat next to her.

            “Hey, guys,” I said.  “Where are Mike and Eric?” I was surprised to see that Jess wasn’t by his side.

            “Oh, they’re off trying to organize a hike out to the tide pools.” Jess rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face betrayed her affections.

            “That sounds like fun.  We don’t have tide pools in Phoenix, unfortunately.  The lack of beaches is kind of a problem,” I joked.

            “You should go on the hike, then.  I would, but I didn’t think ahead, and my shoes are so not made for off-trail excursions.” Jess extended one foot to show her flats.

            “I just might do that,” I said, nodding.

            “So Bella, where’s Edythe?  I would have figured you’d have invited her,” Angela said, her expression just a little too innocent to be convincing.  I tried to keep the flush from my cheeks, and was about to respond when an unfamiliar voice saved me the trouble.

            “Are you talking about Edythe Cullen?” I turned to see a group of girls from the reservation standing several feet behind us.  I hadn’t even realized they were there.  As I studied them more carefully, I realized that ‘girls’ was not the right word.  There were three of them, and they were all tall and muscular, their black hair cropped short, their expressions stern.  They were definitely past high school.  The one who had spoken was the tallest, an attractive young woman with piercing black eyes, high cheekbones, and square jaw.  She looked as if she could be on a woman’s wrestling team.  Definitely not someone I would want to get angry.

            “Yeah, do you know her?” I asked, curious.

            “The Cullens don’t come here,” she said by way of answering.  There was a note of finality in her tone that _definitely_ caught my attention, but before I could inquire further, another newcomer interrupted.

            “Alright, Sam, enough of that.  Stop trying to freak out our guests!”  It was another girl from the res, this one much younger than the others, but still tall.  Unlike the others, she wore her long hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail.  She had on an old frayed black jacket over a white tank top, and I noticed several black stains on her blue jeans.  The one called Sam scowled slightly, but said no more as she and the others started to make their way farther up the beach.  The new girl came and sat down on the log next to ours.

            “Sorry about them,” she said, an easygoing grin on her face.  She instantly reminded me a bit of Eric.  They had the same relaxed air about them.  “Sam is a little…”

            “Intense?” I finished for her.

            “That’s one way of putting it.” She looked at me for a moment before her eyes widened and I saw that familiar look of recognition in them.  “Wait a second… you’re Isabella Swan, aren’t you?”

            “Yeah, I am.  Although I prefer Bella.  How’d you know?”

            “The name is Julie Black.  You’re driving my dad’s old truck, if I’m not mistaken.  Nice to meet you.  Well, meet you _again_ , I should say.” She held out her hand.

            “Again?”  I was certain I had never met this girl before in my life.

            “Well, it has been a long time.  We used to play together when we were little, but I guess you don’t remember.  No big, really.  I always thought you were cool for hanging out with a little kid like me.”

            “Oh come on, you can’t be that much younger than me.”

            “I just turned sixteen.  So no, not really, but when you’re five and a seven-year-old shares her toys with you, it just about makes your day, you know?” She grinned again, and I laughed, trying to picture the scene she was describing.  Her easygoing humor almost made me forget the strange words Sam had uttered a few minutes earlier, but I wasn’t about to let an opportunity like this slip through my fingers.  This promised to be the first big break in my investigation.  Or at least, it had the potential to be.  Of course, it might end up amounting to nothing, but Sam’s words had carried a deeper meaning, I was certain.  I found her and her friends a bit intimidating to question them further, but there was a chance that Julie might know something, and she was plenty easy to talk to.

            “So, Julie, I was just about to head over to the tide pools,” I said truthfully.  “Do you want to come along?  Something tells me we’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”  Regardless of what her answers might be, I definitely didn’t want Jess and Angela to overhear anything.  I needed to get Julie alone, at least for a short while.

            “Sure, I haven’t been there in a while.” She stood up and offered me her hand, which I took.  As she pulled me up, I realized how tall she was.  She stood a good three inches over me.

            “Well, you probably know where you’re going better than I do.  Lead the way.”

            As we walked, she mentioned a Volkswagen she was working on, which admittedly got me curious.  I didn’t know any mechanics, and I was fascinated to hear how much she knew about cars.  She was actually trying to build her own, but was missing a few key parts.

            “Ah well, I don’t even have my license yet.  They’ll turn up eventually,” she laughed.

            “If I see anything, I’ll let you know,” I shot back, both of us knowing full well I wouldn’t have a clue what I was looking for.  “So, I have to ask, what was up with… Sam, was it?  What she said about the Cullens.  That seemed kind of… serious.”

            “Ah, Samantha Uley.  Yeah, she and her friends have gotten a bit weird lately.  They’re starting to take old tribal legends more seriously.  I mean, I know a lot of the older members do, but the younger crowd… anyway, it’s all ridiculous.”

            “Well, I’m curious.  Seriously!” I added, seeing the skeptical look on her face.  “Edythe is a friend of mine, after all.”

            “Okay, okay.  I’m really not supposed to talk about it, but I really don’t see the big deal.  It’s just an old horror story passed down in my tribe.  Personally I think it’s cool that an outsider is showing any interest at all.”

            “I really do want to know,” I promised.  I was definitely getting somewhere, finally, in the most unexpected place, but I would take it.

            “Well, the story really starts hundreds of years ago, back when the Europeans first started coming to America.  That’s when the Quileutes had their first encounter with what we would come to call the Cold Ones.”

            My mind instantly flashed back on all the times I had made contact with Edythe’s skin, at how unusually cold it always seemed to be, and I suppressed a chill.  I nodded for her to go on.

            “Ever since then, a select few members of my tribe have acted as protectors of sorts against any future encounters with the Cold Ones.  It didn’t happen that often, maybe once in a generation, if that.  The encounters became fewer and less frequent as the years went on and the Europeans established more versatile cities, and the tribal lands shrunk further and further.  According to the legends, the Cold Ones preferred busier places, areas where they could blend in.”  If Edythe and her family really were these Cold Ones Julie was talking about, I had a hard time imagining them fitting in anywhere.

            “So these Cold Ones, they’re dangerous, then?  I mean, you said your tribe had protectors to keep them away.”

            “They’re some of the most dangerous creatures on the planet, or so the stories say.” Julie rolled her eyes.

            “So I’m guessing the Cullens are supposed to be Cold Ones?” I finally asked.

            “Yeah, but apparently they’re different than others.  Not as dangerous.  When they first arrived, they made a pact with the tribe leaders.  I don’t know all the details, but it basically involves them not hunting on our land and not hurting humans, and in turn, we leave them be where they are, and don’t reveal them to everyone else.”

            “But the Cullens only arrived a few years ago.  Wouldn’t you remember this?” I inquired, positively burning with curiosity now.

            “No, this was the _first_ time they arrived,” she said with a theatrically spooky voice.

            “Wait, they’ve been here before?  When?”

            “I’m not sure exactly, but it was a long time ago.  Like, back in the 1920s or something.”

            “Woah,” was all I could think of to say.  This was definitely a lot more information than what I had been hoping to get, and I was trying to mentally fit these new pieces into the increasingly large puzzle I had created.  “So, what exactly _are_ these Cold Ones?  You’ve been pretty mysterious about it so far.”

            “Bella!” she cried in mock offense.  “Didn’t you hear me?  That would be a _clear_ violation of the treaty!” She winked.

            “What if I promise not to tell anyone?” I grinned at her.

            “You’ve twisted my arm too far.  I have no choice but to spill my secrets,” she was laughing now, clearly thinking the entire thing a game.  I got the feeling that she had never met any of the Cullens.  If she had, she might not be so flippant on the subject, but as they say, ‘seeing is believing’.  “The Cold Ones are hunters of the night, the living dead, blood drinkers.  _Vampires_.”

            I felt the world stop moving around me.  I froze dead in my tracks as the word entered into my consciousness and began reforming everything I had been considering over the past month.  Suddenly all the pieces fell into place, and everything began to make sense.  Her speed, her strength, and the fact that she never ate were the most glaringly obvious, but there were other things, too, like when she skipped class on the day we did blood typing, and that the whole family went out of town as soon as the sun came out.  I wanted to say ‘impossible’.  I wanted to cry that vampires weren’t real, that of course this was all just some old legend, but deep down I knew it all fit.  I didn’t realize that I was shaking until Julie laid a hand on my shoulder and asked me if I was okay.

            “Did I scare you?  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… man, you even have goosebumps!” she chuckled.

            “Oops.  I guess I got a little too into it,” I managed to get out.  “You’re a great storyteller, seriously.”

            “Well, thanks!  My dad can tell it a lot better.  Probably because he believes all that stuff.  I think his grandmother was supposed to have been one of the protectors the last time the Cullens came around.”

            “I’m a little curious to know more about the protectors, but I think I’ve had enough spooky stories for one day.  It’s unnerving to hear that one of your friends is supposed to be some legendary monster.”

            “Oh jeeze, I forgot you said you were friends with her.  I’ve never met any of them… what are they like?” she asked.

            “They’re definitely different.  They mostly keep to themselves, but I’ve never seen them be mean to anyone, either.” _With one exception_ , but I kept that thought to myself.  That was in the past and I had long since forgiven her for that first day.

            “Yeah, I’m not sure how all these rumors got started, but it makes for a fun story, that’s for sure.”

            “Thanks for sharing it with me, Julie,” I said sincerely.  “It was… well, it was something.  Now, let’s get out to those tide pools.  I want to see a starfish.” I said, trying to change to subject to show her I didn’t take her stories too seriously.  I also needed the distraction, because I wasn’t ready to let myself think about any of it just yet.  I would save that for later, when I was home and alone in my room.  And it went without saying, I was going to have a _lot_ of thinking to do.

 

The tide pools ended up being a lot of fun, and they did their job.  I actually managed to keep the Cullens out of my mind for a few hours.  Julie showed me all kinds of creatures in the small pools, and not long after we arrived, several of my friends showed up, and we were all laughing and crouching down to get a better look at the starfish, sea urchins, and tiny crabs that made their homes in the shallow pools.  We stayed there for the better part of an hour before making our way back to the beach.  The clouds had finally returned, and the sky was quickly darkening, so everyone decided to start the bonfire.  Mike had brought tons of hot dogs and everything needed to make s’mores, and we all crowded around the fire to cook our food.  Julie and I sat back with Jess and Angela, but it wasn’t long before Jess went over to Mike and Angela starting talking to Taylor, and Julie and I were left alone.

            I ended up truly enjoying her company.  She had an engaging personality, and her relaxed nature helped put my mind at ease and keep my thoughts away from darker subjects.  By the end of the night, she had given me her cell number (and chided me for not having one of my own), and we promised to keep in touch.  Unfortunately, the evening couldn’t last forever, and it soon came time to pack everything up and head back into town.  Julie caught me in a huge bear hug before I left, and I laughed in surprise.  She was incredibly warm, but that might have just been from sitting in front of the fire for so long.

            The ride back into town was quieter than the trip to the beach, and went by much too quickly.  Before I knew it, I was back in the parking lot of the Newton’s store saying goodbye to everyone, and then I was in my truck heading home. 

            Charlie was still awake when I got in, watching a baseball game, and proudly told me of the catches he made that morning.  He asked me how the trip went, and I told him about meeting Julie, which seemed to please him.

            “She’s a good kid,” he said.  “I had a feeling you two would get along.  You hungry?”

            “Not really.  People brought plenty of food to the beach.  Actually, I’m pretty tired,” I lied.  “Think I’m going to turn in early.  ‘Night, Dad!”

            “Good night, Bells,” Charlie called as I made my way up the stairs, and I knew before I hit the top step that he was already immersed in his game again.

            I brushed my teeth, taking my time and delaying the inevitable for as long as possible, but once I was in my room and in my pajamas, I couldn’t put it off any longer.  I collapsed on my bed and opened the floodgates in my mind, letting all the knowledge I had gained that afternoon wash over me.  It really did feel like I was drowning, drowning in that one word that kept repeating itself over and over again.  _Vampire_.  It shouldn’t be possible, and technically I had no proof yet, but the evidence was stacked overwhelmingly in support of that theory, and as much as I wanted to deny it again, I couldn’t bring myself to.  So, Edythe was a vampire.  What was I going to do with that information?

            I decided right away that I would keep the promise I had made to her before.  I had no intention of telling anyone.  They likely wouldn’t believe me anyway, so I had nothing to gain by it.  But what was _I_ going to do with this revelation?  I knew the smart thing: keep as far away from her as possible.  If she really _was_ a vampire, that meant I was putting my life in danger by being around her.  True, I couldn’t avoid her in biology, but we were in a room full of people and I didn’t see her trying anything there.  But then again… we had been alone several times, and she had never once tried to hurt me.  In fact, she had risked exposing herself in order to _save_ me.  Unless… unless she was saving me for other, more selfish reasons.  Perhaps that was why she had been befriending me.  Was I to be her dinner at some point?  I shivered.  It was a very real possibility.  But Julie had said that the Cullens were different from other vampires.  They didn’t hurt people.  I wondered what that meant.  What did they eat, then?  Surely not regular human food.  Their habits in the cafeteria proved as much.  Maybe they robbed blood banks in the middle of the night.  I let out a laugh that sounded somewhere between a bark and a cough at that mental image.  Several of my questions had been answered today, but so many more had arisen.

            My thoughts drifted then, as they inevitably did, to Edythe herself, to her face, her voice, the way she laughed at things I couldn’t quite understand.  The way she always seemed to be focusing on several things at once, and yet never missing a detail of any of them.  I thought about the day she saved my life, the day she first asked me to eat lunch with her.  I recalled the last time I had seen her, when she had helped me get out of class and driven me home.  The way her arms felt when she pulled me in close, the scent of her skin so close to mine, a pleasant, earthy scent that was unique to her.  I groaned into my pillow.  I _should_ keep away from her, but if I was being honest with myself, I knew that likely wasn’t going to happen.  It was incredibly stupid, and yet she hadn’t given me a reason not to trust her, not really.  I was more than a little infatuated with her, I could admit that freely to myself now.  I wasn’t entirely sure when it had happened, but there was no going back now.  No, I knew what my next step was, and it absolutely terrified me.

            I was going to have to tell her what I knew.


	7. Confrontation

I had been nibbling halfheartedly on a piece of toast for twenty minutes the following morning, contemplating what I was going to do the next day at school when I saw Edythe, when a soft knock on the door pulled me back to the present.  Charlie had already gone out again (hoping he could duplicate his fishing luck from yesterday), so it was up to me to answer it.  I had absolutely no idea who would come calling on a Sunday morning, so I nearly jumped out of my skin when a familiar pale face greeted me from the other side of the threshold.  Edythe was standing there, a solemn expression on her face, and I felt my heartrate increase, this time with more than a small touch of fear.  She seemed to register this, and closed her eyes and nodded briefly.

            “So you know,” she said simply.

            I tried to control my trembling, but to no avail.  Here I was, alone and defenseless, confronted by a vampire whose secret I had just uncovered.  I couldn’t lie to myself, I was terrified.  There was nothing to stop her from silencing me forever, and no one would ever know that she was involved.

            “And you’re scared of me now.  That’s fair, I probably would be, too.”  To my surprised, she flashed her familiar crooked smile, although there was a touch of sadness to it now.  “I suppose we have a lot to talk about.  Would be you willing to accompany me on a walk?”

            “You… want to talk?” I said, uncertain.

            “Yes, Bella, I would like that very much.  But I understand if you don’t want to.  I simply figured that it would be better to have this discussion before we’re forced into proximity in a crowded classroom.”

            “You’re right, as usual.  Wait a second… how the hell did you even know I knew?  I thought you were out of town.  And I know you weren’t at the beach last night… or were you?”

            “No, I wasn’t there.  I’m not sure if you heard, but we’re not allowed there.”

            “I did hear something about that, yes.  You haven’t answered my question, though.”

            She sighed in resignation.  “Alice.”

            “Alice?  How did she… is she like you?  Can she read minds, too?”

            “How did you…?  I never told you…” She shook her head.  “You never cease to amaze me.”

            “You’re good, Edythe, but you’re not perfect.  You’ve slipped up a couple times.  Responded to unspoken thoughts, known things you couldn’t possibly know.  Reacted like your name was being called when no one spoke to you.  I never understood it before, but after what I found out last night… well, it makes sense.”

            “Astounding.  To answer your other question, no, Alice can’t read minds, but she does have a rather unique gift of her own: she can see the future.”

            “How did that tell her that I knew?” I wondered.

            “Once you had made up your mind to confront me, she saw your decision.  You see, the future is always changing, and she doesn’t see things clearly until a person decides on something.  She’s been keeping an eye on you for some time now.”

            “That’s… a bit unsettling,” I grumbled.

            “I am sorry, but I hope you can understand our reasons.  I trust you, Bella, I really do, but not all of my family feels the same way.  You’re a bit of a security risk,” she grimaced.

            “Okay, that’s fair.  Did she also see my decision to not tell anyone?”

            “Yes, and she told everyone else as much.  It put them at ease, at least a little bit.  Well, Rose still needs a bit of convincing, but then again she’s always been that way.” Edythe rolled her eyes.

            “Alright, well, you asked if I wanted to go with you… I want to believe you’re not going to…” I left my thought unfinished.

            “Do away with you and hide your body in the woods?”

            I flinched.  “Yeah, that.  I thought you couldn’t read my thoughts?  You’ve always said I’m harder for you to read.  I’m assuming that’s what you meant?”

            “Right again, Bella.  And no, I have no intention of hurting you.  I don’t think I’m capable of that at this point.”

            I frowned slightly, uncertain of what she meant by that, but I took it as reassuring.  Since my life didn’t appear to be in any immediate danger, I agreed to accompany her.  She led me across the street and down the path that wove through the woods.  We walked in silence for a while, neither of us sure what to say next.  It was a strained silence, but it gave me a bit of time to compose my thoughts.  Finally, I said:

            “So… you’re a lot older than seventeen, aren’t you?”

            She barked a laugh.  “That’s putting it mildly.  If you really want to know, I was born in Chicago in 1901.”

            “Holy shit, that’s…” I had no words.

            “That’s nothing compared to Carlisle,” she chuckled.

            “Do I even want to know?”

            “His is actually a fascinating story, but perhaps better saved for another time.  Besides, he tells it so much better.  After all, he lived it.” She paused for a moment as if considering what to next reveal.  “I supposed you have several questions.”

            “Only about a million.  I’m still trying to process all this… vampires being real and all.”

            “The world is a much bigger place than what you know, Bella.  We’re not the only things hiding in the shadows.” She fixed me with a serious stare, and I knew what she was really saying.  The world was much more _dangerous_ than what I had previously known.  I shuddered.

            “Why don’t we stick to what I know best… what do you want to know?”

            “Julie said… she said you guys were different from others.  That you didn’t hurt humans.  Is that true?”

            “More or less.  Who’s Julie?”

            “Oh, Julie Black.  I guess we go way back, but I don’t really remember her.  She’s actually the one who told me everything.  She thinks it’s all stories, though,” I added in her defense.  “She didn’t realize what she was revealing.”

            Edythe sighed again.  “Well, I supposed I can’t fault her.  You were the only one who she told?”

            “Yes, we were alone at the time,” I answered.  Edythe cocked an eyebrow.  “Not like that!” I shot at her, and she chuckled.

            “I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair.  I shouldn’t tease at a time like this.  Anyway, no, we don’t hunt humans, although not all of us have a perfect record.  It’s not easy,” she said grimly.

            “I would imagine.  So, what do you guys do, if you don’t mind me asking?” The image of Edythe sneaking into a blood bank in the middle of the night popped back into my head.

            “We hunt animals.  That’s where we were this weekend.  It’s not as satisfying, and we do have to feed more often, but it keeps the thirst at bay and allows us to live amongst humans,” she answered.

            I thought about this, looking around me at the thick trees that surrounded us.  We had gone deeper into the woods, the air still and silent, and what little light there was had an odd green tint to it.  I would be counting on Edythe to get us out of here, because I had no idea where we were.  Finally, I thought of my next question.

            “Are there others like you?”

            “We’ve only met one other clan.  Most vampires are nomads, and therefore go it solo, or only have very small groups.  We’re the two largest groups that we know of, and the only ones who’ve established a home, aside from the Volturi.”

            “The Volturi?” The word was unfamiliar.

            “Sort of like vampire lawmakers.  It’s a bit much to explain right now.”

            “Fair enough.  But… why do you do it?  Aren’t you denying your nature?”

            “I suppose it really all comes down to Carlisle and his philosophies, but I have come to share many of them.  I don’t _want_ to be a monster, Bella.  I don’t take any pleasure in inflicting pain, and feeding is not like you see in the movies.  If it were that simple, that clean, there wouldn’t be any issue, but there are only two options for the victim: vampirism, or death.”

            My horror must have shown on my face, for she briefly flashed a sad smile before her expression turned serious once more.  “It’s not an easy… well, _existence_ is the better word, I suppose.  But it is who and what I am, and I try to make the most of it.  We all do.  I have long since made my peace with it, but what we must now discuss is what you want to do.  If you no longer wish for me to a part of your life, I will respect that.  We can’t avoid Biology, but outside of that class I will have no further interaction from you, if that is what you wish.”  I was surprised to realize then, no matter how well she tried to hide it, that that would be a sacrifice on her part.  She didn’t _want_ to leave my life, but she wasn’t about to say it.

            “Being bluntly honest, this is an awful lot for me to take in,” I began.  “Of course there’s a part of me that’s scared out of my mind, but there’s another part of me that believes you.  Or at least, I _want_ to believe you.  I like having you as my friend, Edythe, and I don’t want to give that up.” 

            She looked over at me, her eyes hopeful.  “You can’t imagine what a relief it is to hear that, Bella.  You have no idea, this is something I’ve been both completely dreading and yet wanting more than anything.  I’ve hated lying to you, but there was no way I could have told you the truth.  Having you know… well, you would either accept me or reject me, and not being sure which it would be has been agonizing.  At least that’s over with.”

            A brave impulse came over me then, and I took a few steps, closing the gap between us.  Slowly, hesitantly, I raised my hands and placed them on either side of her face.  As usual, her skin was ice cold, but not quite as pale as I had seen it.  Her eyes, which were nearly level with mine, were a warm golden honey, and it dawned on me then that her eye color must be connected with her thirst.  It seemed an odd trait to possess, but I supposed it must serve some purpose.  She studied me closely, not moving a muscle, as I held her gaze.

            “Edythe Cullen, you have undoubtedly made my life far for complicated and insane than I ever expected it to be.  There was no way in hell I could have been prepared for you when I came here, and yet here you are.  I knew there was something different about you the moment you saved my life, and I know I’ve been difficult in pursuing it, but like you said, now that part’s over with.” I paused then, carefully considering my next words.  “And despite everything, you’ve become rather important to me.  I don’t want to lose you now,” I concluded, doing my best to ignore the pounding in my heart that she most definitely could hear.

            After what felt like hours, but was most likely only seconds, she gently moved my hands from her face, but kept them entwined in her own.  “For the first time in my life as a vampire, I’ve been forced to get to know someone the old fashioned way.  Reading minds is useful, but it makes interpersonal relationships rather boring when you can get a good idea as to what someone is like within minutes.” She laughed, the sound musical.  “I don’t know why I can’t hear your thoughts, and while I may get frustrated by it at times, I am ultimately grateful for it.  You actually _surprise_ me, Bella, and that’s something no one has ever done before.”

            I let out a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, and finally managed a smile, which she returned.  “I’ve still got a lot to learn about all this, but I will keep my promise.  I won’t tell anyone else, you have my word.”

            “I trust you.  Besides, who would believe you?” she said with a smirk.

            “Oh, that thought crossed my mind,” I chortled.  A bird chirped somewhere in the distance, and I started at the sudden noise, the first sound I had heard in the forest aside from our conversation.  I noticed then that it had gotten much darker.

            “Um, I certainly hope your vampire powers can help us out of here,” I said shakily, trying not to let my fear show.  To my relief, Edythe laughed loudly.

            “Not only can I get us out of the woods, I can do it rather quickly, if you’re willing to try it.”  There was a mischievous spark in her eye that made me instantly wary, but I knew that if we didn’t get back soon, Charlie would worry.

            “As long as I come out of it in one piece,” I muttered.

            “Alright then,” she exclaimed, excitement audible in her voice.  “Hop on.” She crouched down slightly and jerked her head towards her back.

            “You’re kidding, right?” I said skeptically.

            “Oh come on, I know what I’m doing.  Do you want to get out of here or not?”

            Finally, I gave in, and put my hands on her shoulders while she hoisted my legs up effortlessly with her arms.  “Come on Bella, you’re going to have to hold on tighter than that.” She was clearly enjoying herself.

            I suddenly recalled the day of the accident, when she had moved across the parking lot so fast no one had even seen her, and it hit me then what she was planning on doing.  I wrapped my arms tightly around her neck.  “You’re insane, you know that?” I mumbled into her hair.

            She laughed and shot back, “If you get motion sickness, you might want to shut your eyes for this.” And then she was running.

            Despite her warning, my eyes remained wide open for the first several seconds, my curiosity getting the better of me.  The trees around us were blowing past at breakneck speed, so blurry that I wouldn’t have been able to identify them as foliage if I didn’t already know what they were.  It didn’t take long for the dizziness to set in, and I heeded Edythe’s advice and shut my eyes tight, burying my face in her hair.  I was amazed to discover that, despite the incredible pace she was moving at, I could hardly feel a thing.  Only the wind in my hair indicated that we were moving at all.  Before I knew it, her voice was in my ear once again.

            “Alright Bella, we’re here.  You can open your eyes.”

            Reluctantly, I did so, and could hardly believe what I was seeing.  There was my house, only yards away.  We were back to where we had started, Edythe taking mere minutes to complete a trip that had taken us over an hour before.  Now that we were away from the trees, I realized that it wasn’t quite as late as I had thought.  Of course there was no sun, but it was still mid-afternoon.  I then became aware that I was holding onto her neck with all my strength.

            “Sorry,” I said as I detached myself from her, and she gently set me down, keeping her hands on my waist to keep me steady.

            “Don’t be.  You didn’t hurt me.” She flashed her usual smile.  I couldn’t help but notice that we were once again standing incredibly close to one another, and I had to fight the urge to close that gap completely. 

            “Well that was a rush,” I laughed nervously in an attempt to distract myself, an attempt that failed entirely when she reached up to tuck a few flyaway strands behind my ear.  I bit my lip involuntarily.  “Do you, um… w-want to come in?” I managed to stammer.

            “Your father won’t mind?”  There was a slight hitch to her voice that didn’t escape my notice.

            “I don’t think so.  Besides, I don’t think he’s home yet.”

            My guess was proven correct when I opened the back door to find the house silent and empty.  Edythe followed close behind as I kicked off my shoes and made my way into the kitchen.  My unfinished toast was still sitting on the table from this morning, and my stomach let out a rumble at the sight of it.

            “Oops, guess I need to eat,” I said sheepishly, and Edythe smirked in amusement.  “I guess you don’t want anything, huh?”

            “Not hungry,” she joked.

            “Thought so.” 

            I didn’t feel much like cooking anything, so I was relieved to find leftover pizza my dad must have ordered the night before.  I zapped it in the microwave, and offered Edythe a seat at the kitchen table while I waited.  I leaned against the counter while the microwave ticked down the seconds, unsure of what to say and, for the first time that afternoon, feeling incredibly awkward.  She was there, in my home, sitting at my kitchen table.  It was such a normal thing for a friend to do, and yet after the conversation we had just had, with everything I knew about her, it felt unnatural.

            “So, how’s the bio homework coming?” she asked casually.  It threw me so completely off that it took me a moment to remember what she was talking about.

            “Oh, shit!”  I had completely forgotten about the assignment.  I had originally intended to get it done today, but circumstances considered, it had been pushed from my mind.

            “I take it that means you haven’t done it.”

            “No,” I groaned, burying my face in my hands.  I pushed my hair back along my scalp as the timer finally beeped, and I retrieved my pizza in a gloomy silence.  I sat on the table and began munching, suddenly feeling less hungry.  “Of course, you’ve finished it already, haven’t you?”

            “I have,” she grinned.  “I could leave and let you work, or… I wouldn’t mind helping you.”

            “I know what I’m doing,” I shot back, thinking of that first day she spoke to me in class.

            “I know, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.  But I know you’re pressed for time now, and I just thought… well, maybe I could help you get it done faster.  And… I do enjoy spending time with you.” I could have sworn that if she were capable of blushing, she would be.

            “That does make sense, I’m sorry I snapped,” I said quietly.  “Please stay.”

            She merely dipped her head in acknowledgment, and sat in silence as I hurriedly scarfed down my pizza.  I started to lead her upstairs, and faltered for just a moment as I thought about Edythe being in _my room_.  I quickly steadied myself and tried not to dwell on it.  _We’re just working on homework, calm down_.

            I pulled my textbook and binder out of my backpack and sat down on my bed, heart pounding as I motioned for Edythe to join me.  She sat cross-legged and looked over the notes I had already made.

            “It does look like you’re off to a good start.  If you’d like, I can point you in the right direction for the next steps you need.  I get the feeling you don’t want me doing too much of the work,” she said with a laugh.

            “Sadly, my pride won’t allow for that.”

            “No, that’s good, it’s… admirable.”  I snorted in response, and then we got to work. 

            With the two of us working together, the assignment went by much faster than it would have if I had been on my own.  True to her word, she didn’t really give me any of the answers (although I suspected she had them all memorized), and at the end I was satisfied that it was still my own work. 

            “Think of it like having a living search engine at your disposal,” she said, which earned her a playful shove.  It was an automatic response on my part, so I wasn’t prepared for the complete lack of give I was met with.  It didn’t hurt, but she didn’t move even an inch, and I nearly fell backwards as a result.  She was too quick for that, and quickly grabbed my arm to pull me back.  I could feel my face burning again, this time from embarrassment more than anything.  I was going to have to get used to her… _unusual_ physique.

            “Careful, Bella.  The last thing we need is to explain to your father why you have a lump on your head.”

            “Yeah, yeah.  Stupid vampire strength,” I muttered quietly, fully aware that she could still hear me.  She laughed loudly.

            I started to pack my things back up, but just as I was replacing my pen in my bag, it slipped through my fingers and rolled partway under the bed.  Sighing in exasperation, I reached down to grab it, but Edythe was, as usual, much quicker.  I reached out to take it from her, looking up as I did so, and found that her face was only inches from mine, her expression suddenly conflicted.  I practically stopped breathing.

            “I’ve been deliberating with myself all afternoon if I wanted to bring up the _other_ unspoken matter between us.  I refused to do so before you knew the truth, but now that you do, there really isn’t any excuse on my part.  I suppose I’ve just been waiting on you, but I can’t take it any longer.”

            “Other unspoken matter?” I asked lamely.  I knew what _I_ had been thinking about since we had gotten back to my house, but I didn’t dare assume we were on the same page.  Besides, she couldn’t read my thoughts, she had said as much, so how could she possibly…

            “Oh.” I felt my throat go dry.  “ _Jessica._ You can’t read me, but of course, you can see into _her_ mind!”  I was absolutely mortified.  Of course, she had known this entire time.  And here I thought I had been covert about it.

            “You sound so concerned, Bella.  Why is that?” she asked gently.

            I thought about it.  “You know, I really don’t know.  I guess I’ve just been so scared of what would happen if you found out.”  I looked away from her.

            “Did you never consider that I might feel the same way?”

            I jerked my head back in her direction.  No, I hadn’t really thought about that.  Well, to be more accurate, I hadn’t _let_ myself consider it.  I hadn’t dared to get my hopes up.  “Are you saying that you do?” I whispered.

            “Bella, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind for a while now.  The entire time we were gone, I kept thinking about you, wondering what you were doing.  I couldn’t wait to get back and see you again.” She paused for a moment before continuing.  “You’re right, I have had insight into your friend’s mind, but getting information secondhand is always tricky.  I’m only hearing things as she perceives them, so I accounted for the fact that she might have been misunderstanding your feelings for me, but I had hoped that wasn’t the case.”

            “No, she… she had it right,” I confessed.  I should have been freaking out way more at all of this, but I found that I was strangely calm.  Here it was, the final secret, laid out clear as day before us.  It felt as though a weight had been lifted from my chest.  I didn’t realize until then how badly I’d needed her to know this.

            She held my gaze for several long seconds, her golden eyes scorching right through me as they finally moved down to linger at my lips.  My breathing was coming out short and quick, and it was taking everything in me to hold myself back.  I didn’t want to do anything that would make things more difficult for her, but my entire body felt as though it were charged with electricity, and the only thing that would release it was her.  Finally, she started to move in towards me, and I felt the last of my will slip away.  I leaned in, closing the last of the distance between us, taking her face between my hands and pressing my lips to hers.  She froze for a fraction of a second before giving in, and we were both lost to the world.

            Her lips were icy at first, but the longer we stayed together, the warmer they became.  They were easily softer than the rest of her skin, and I felt them give slightly against my own.  I had been wrong, though.  Her touch didn’t release the electric feeling: it supercharged it.  The need for more was like an ache that reached down into my very bones, and soon my hands became tangled in her hair.  Before I knew it, she had shoved the last of my school supplies off the bed and had pinned me down on my back, her lips never once leaving mine.  I felt my legs entwine with hers, and I pulled her down closer to me.  I knew I didn’t have the ability to actually move her, but she must have sensed what I wanted and pressed herself fully against me.  I was aware on some level that she was exercising great restraint so as not to hurt me, but it made little difference.  She was giving me all that I had been wanting.  Her lips finally left mine to leave a trail of kisses down my neck and onto my collar bone, and for a second I felt a thrill of fear at having her teeth so close to my neck, but it quickly passed as her hands slid under my shirt, and I knew that my blood wasn’t what she wanted from me right now.

            I tugged her own shirt over her head and unhooked her bra with trembling hands before reaching down to fumble with the buckle on her belt, gasping as her lips found my breasts.  She finally paused long enough to get out, “Stop me if I go too far.”

            “If you stop now I will never forgive you,” I said breathlessly.  Her only response was to kiss me again, her tongue finding its way past my lips, and I let out another gasp.  Both our torsos were bare, and Edythe’s pants were down to her knees, my hand sliding down her stomach, when I heard the front door slam shut.

            “Oh, shit, Charlie!” I groaned.

            “Is it going to be a problem that I’m here?”

            “No, but if he finds us like this, it’s going to be one hell of an awkward story.  He doesn’t exactly… know about me,” I admitted.

            “You’re not out yet?” She was clearly surprised.

            “My mom knows.  I mean, I really don’t think he’ll care.  He’s adamantly defended your dads before.  I just don’t want him to find out like… like this.”

            “You mean with your hand between your girlfriend’s legs?” I smacked her with my pillow, but felt a thrill at hearing her use the word _girlfriend._

            “Bella?” I heard Charlie call from down the stairs.  “You home?”

            “Yeah!” I called back, hoping my voice sounded convincingly normal.  “I’ve got a friend over, we’re just finishing up some homework.”  I ignored Edythe’s silent laughter as she tugged her pants back up.

            “Is it Jessica again?”

            “Um, no, it’s Edythe.”

            Nothing for several seconds, then, “Oh, well then, I hope I get to meet her this time.  You two come on down soon, alright?”

            “Sure thing,” I answered, relieved that it didn’t appear as though he intended to come up.  I glanced back over towards Edythe to find her lounging back on my bed, still topless.  My heart lurched at the sight of her.

            Her stomach was well-toned, like her arms, and just as pale as the rest of her.  Her breasts were perfectly sculpted, and I longed to run my tongue over them.  She was holding my own clothes out to me while intentionally ignoring her own.  She was more than a little smug.

            “You seem pleased with yourself,” I grumbled.  “Go on, get dressed.”

            “Oh, I can do that before you can blink.  I’m rather enjoying your reactions, though.  I think I want to savor this a little longer, if you don’t mind.”

            “You really are evil, you know?”  But there was no denying I was enjoying the view.  “Man, I’m going to be climbing the walls the rest of the night.”

            “We can always pick this up later on, if you want,” she offered.

            “As tempting as that is, we should probably get some sleep.”

            She chuckled in response.  “ _You_ should.  I don’t need it.  But I can stay, if you want.”

            “Wait, you don’t need sleep?” I asked, stunned.

            “Not at all.” She shrugged, clearly no longer phased by this startling fact.

            “I would like for you to stay, though,” I finally said.

            She was in front of me before I could finish taking a breath.  She leaned in and pressed her lips to mine once more, this time keeping it tame.  “I would love to.”

            I wrapped my arms around her neck and relished in her embrace, strong and secure.  There was still so much I didn’t know, but I did know that I was being pulled into a world beyond anything I had ever imagined.  There was no way to prepare myself for whatever lay ahead, but if I had Edythe by my side, I would be able to face it.  I wasn’t going to let myself worry about that for now.  In this moment, all that mattered was her.


	8. Insight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SO SO SORRY!!! I know it's been forever, but a LOT has been going on. I started a new job at the end of July that was very exhausting and time-consuming, and then had to quit that job a month ago due to health reasons and scramble to find another job as quickly as possible, which I did, and now I work at a bookstore and couldn't be happier! I also, as you may have seen, started a couple of other fics, and I know, bad me, but the inspiration was there. So I sincerely apologize for taking so long with this chapter, but here it is! I'm going to try and keep a rotating schedule on my fics, so hopefully each will update about twice a month. Hopefully working with books will inspire me to write more!

We made our way slowly down the stairs, as we (or really, _I_ ) attempted to remove signs of dishevelment, hoping Charlie wouldn’t catch on to what we had been up to.  Edythe, of course, managed to make herself look flawless in a matter of seconds.  To make matters worse, she benefited greatly from the fact that she never blushed, something I was incredibly jealous of.  Before we left my room, I deliberated out loud as to what I should tell him.

            “I mean… it’s not like I’m really worried, but when I pictured coming out to him… well, it wasn’t quite like this.”

            Edythe gave me a reassuring smile.  “You don’t have to do this now, you know.  I understand if you’d rather I not be around for it.”

            “No, it’s not that,” I said.  “It’ll probably be easier, actually, with you there.  And the sooner the better.  If we’re going to be together, I don’t want to have to hide it from him.” I paused for a moment, realizing what I had said.  “We… _are_ together, aren’t we?”

            “That’s the impression I was under,” she said with a smirk.

            I flushed again, and shot her a glare, although it was difficult to put any sincerity into it when all I wanted to do was throw her back down on the bed and pick up where we had left off.  “Okay, that’s it.  I’m gonna do this.” 

            Charlie was in his usual place on the couch, so absorbed into his Mariners game that he didn’t even realize we were there until I cleared my throat.  He turned around halfway with a quick, “Hey there, Bells,” but then he did a double-take when he saw Edythe, and I saw his eyes widen slightly.  Of course, even knowing that she was there wasn’t quite enough to prepare him for seeing her up close.  He managed to recover quickly, thank goodness, but I couldn’t help notice Edythe’s mouth quirk up a bit.  Obviously, she had heard whatever it was he had been thinking.  I would have to ask her about it later.

            “You must be Edythe,” he said, his voice catching slightly.  Then he cleared his throat, and when he spoke again, his tone had returned to normal.  “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

            “Likewise,” she said, flashing him a brilliant smile.  I nudged her as subtly as possible, hoping she would get the hint.  I didn’t need her giving my father a heart attack.

            “I’ve met your dad a few times.  Well, Carlisle, I mean.  He’s a great man, we’re lucky to have him.”

            “So am I.  He’s a wonderful father, too.” I could hear the love and admiration in her voice, and I knew she was being completely sincere.

            “So, Bella, is Edythe joining us for dinner?” he said, turning towards me.

            “Um… probably not.  But…” I took a deep breath.  “There’s something I… something _we_ wanted to talk to you about. Uh…” Oh boy, this was harder than I thought.  I clenched and unclenched my fists a couple of times, mortified to discover that my palms had grown damp. “Edythe and I are… well, as of… recently…” I stuttered.  Then I felt Edythe slip her hand into mine and give it a gentle, reassuring squeeze, a small spark passing between us, and it seemed to be just the boost I needed.  “We’ve become a bit more than just friends.”

            I studied my father’s face closely.  At first he just looked confused, but then I saw his eyes dart towards her hand in mine, and the realization dawned on him then.  His eyes widened again, and it took him a minute to get out a quiet “Oh.”

            All three of us were silent for what felt like an eternity, and it was one of the most painfully awkward moments of my life.  Only Edythe seemed perfectly calm, but then again it was often impossible to discern exactly what she was thinking.  But then I saw her smile, and she gave me the subtlest of nods, and I knew everything was okay.

            “Well, I have to say, I didn’t see that one coming.” He whistled.  “Bella, I’m not really sure what the right thing for me to say here is… does your mother know?”

            “About Edythe?  No, but she does know about… about me.  She has for a while.  I’m sorry I never told you sooner, I just never seemed to find the right time.”

            “It’s alright, it’s just… you didn’t think I wouldn’t be okay with it, did you?”

            “Of course not!  But, you know how I am.  I take after you, remember?” I laughed weakly.

            “Fair enough.” He was silent again, but I could tell that the worst of the discomfort had passed, and I felt my shoulders relax.  I hadn’t realized how tense they had been.  

            “Sooo…. Now you know.  Which is good.  Really good.  A, um, huge relief, actually,” I fumbled over my words, emotions mixed.  I could sense Edythe’s amusement without looking at her, and I had to resist the urge to dig my elbow into her side.  Not that it would have had any effect. 

            “Well, I’m happy for you two, really,” Charlie smiled, but I could tell by his body language that he was eager to get back to his game and escape this unexpected twist to his daily routine.  My suspicions were confirmed when Edythe finally spoke again.

            “I think I’ll be heading home now.  I’m sure my family is wondering where I am.  Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Charlie, and for being so accepting.  Truly, I’m grateful.” 

            “Nice meeting you, Edythe.  Sure I’ll be seeing you around, huh?”

            “I would hope so.” She turned back to me.  “Walk with me?”  Feeling very much like an over-attentive puppy, I quickly followed her through the hall and out the front door.

            We walked in silence to the end of the driveway, and when I was certain we were well out of earshot, I let out a breath.  “You know, it’s a _really_ good thing he didn’t notice that you didn’t have a car parked out here.”

            “He was far too busy trying to process your little bombshell to think about that.  Besides, even if he had, I would have just said that Alice was borrowing my car and would pick me up.  Trust me, Bella, I never leave anything to chance.  I’ve had _years_ of practice.”  She took my hand in hers again, carefully turning it over, her fingers running over my knuckles, my palm.  My breath hitched.

            “You’re not… actually leaving, are you?” I finally asked.

            “I did promise I would stay, didn’t I?” She raised an eyebrow, eyes twinkling.

            “Well… yeah, but you’re not obligated to, if, you know, you need to be home… or… something…” I finished lamely.

            A small frown creased her face.  “Did you want me to leave?”

            “No!” I exclaimed, a little too loudly, too quickly, and I froze, unsure of how she would receive my outburst.  To my relief, she chuckled.

            “Not to worry, I’ll be there, although…” Her expression changed again, all joking gone, replaced now with a look of hesitant concern, as if she wasn’t sure she wanted to speak her next words.

            “What is it?” I finally prodded after nearly a minute.  “It’s okay, you can tell me.”

            “It’s just… if I’m going to be spending the night with you, I should probably take… precautions.  I’m not exactly _thirsty_ , but it has been a few days since I last… fed.”  She looked away.  Realization dawned on me, and I reached up to touch my fingers to her chin.  She allowed her face to be turned towards me, and I held her gaze.

            “Look, I know what you have to do, okay?  I mean, yes, I’m still getting used to the idea, but I know you can’t help it.  If you need to go hunt, do it.  I’ll be eating dinner with Charlie anyway, so you’d probably just be bored in my room.  Go.  Do what you need to do, and I’ll see you later tonight, alright?”

            My reassurance seemed to have reached her, because she cupped her hand over mine and leaned her face into my palm.  I became incredibly self-conscious at how sweaty they’d been before, but she seemed to take no notice.  Moving my hand from her cheek to her mouth, she planted a gentle kiss against my palm before lowering it.

            “You’re far too understanding, you know?  I keep waiting for you to become so horrorstruck that you run screaming for the hills.”

            “I probably would have been a little more freaked out if I hadn’t been suspecting you of _something_ out of the ordinary for the past month.  And it’s not like I wasn’t scared,” I admitted.  “I was.  It’s just… there’ve been loads of times you could have… y’know… but you didn’t.  In fact, you even saved my life.  So maybe it’s crazy of me, but I trust you.”

            Edythe’s dark ochre eyes bore into mine, and it wasn’t hard for me to understand why one of the myths about vampires was that they could hypnotize their victims with a stare.  At least, I assumed it was just a myth, and was about to ask Edythe as much when she leaned in and planted a quick kiss against my lips, so fast that by the time I had processed what had happened, she had already placed a foot between us.

            “I should leave now, but don’t worry, I’ll see you again soon,” she said gently, and before I could blink, she was gone, disappearing into the forest without a trace.  I stood there reeling from the sheer intensity of her presence.  It was crystal clear now that she was definitely _not_ human, and I wondered at how no one else realized this.  It slowly dawned on me that, until now, she had been holding _something_ , some part of herself back.  Edythe, and the rest of her family, had to exercise great restraint around regular people, and not just because of their bloodlust.  There was something in the way she moved, the way she spoke, when it was just the two of us, now that I knew her secret, that was distinctly different from how she behaved at school.  I pondered over this discovery as I made my way back up the driveway, deliberately dragging my feet so as to give myself more time to recover.  By the time I reached the front door, I was certain I had regained full composure.

            As it turned out, that composure was difficult to maintain as I prepared dinner and ate with Charlie.  I was a bundle of nerves, eager for Edythe to return and yet terrified at the prospect of it.  I knew nothing was going to happen, but the idea of her staying in my bed all night while I slept, unconscious and defenseless, sent a thrill of excitement and fear down my spine.  As I wrapped two potatoes in foil and placed them in the oven, I reminded myself that I had decided to trust Edythe.  Still, that didn’t change the fact that I was allowing a _vampire_ to spend the night in my bed, and that would give any sensible person reason to be scared, even if that person had just made out with said vampire within the last hour.

            As I sat the fully prepared baked potatoes on the table, I braced myself for a new onslaught of questions from Charlie.  However, he was his usual quiet self as he tucked into his potato, taking several bites before finally speaking.

            “Tasty as usual, Bells,” he muttered between bites.  I nodded my thanks but said nothing, not exactly trusting my voice to sound normal.  “So… how long have you two been together?”

            I was fortunate enough to still have a mouthful of potato at that point, and I took my time chewing it, and my answer, over.  In the end, I decided to be honest.

            “Well, we just sort of made it official… today.  It’s been… building up for a while, though.”  I hadn’t really thought about that last part, but I knew it was true: I’d been aware of my feelings for a couple of weeks at least now, and Edythe made it clear that she had been feeling the same.

            “Well, I’m happy for you, really, and I gotta say… I’m impressed.” I looked up at him and saw the corners of his eyes crinkle slightly as the corner of his mouth tugged up.

            “Yeah, well… I can hardly believe it myself,” I chuckled nervously.  “It’s hard not to be intimidated.”

            “I would imagine so.  But I’m glad you told me.  You don’t have to keep secrets from me, Bella,” he said with obvious affection.  I knew, because I was so much like him, that Charlie had a hard time expressing his feelings, but I also knew how much he cared.  I quashed the vague feeling of guilt as told him that yes, of course, I knew I could tell him anything.  But of course I couldn’t.  There were some secrets that weren’t mine to tell.

            Impatience crept its way into my system as I worked my way through the dishes after dinner, eager to get back upstairs even though I knew she was unlikely to be back yet.  I had no idea how long her hunt would take, or how far she would go, but I found myself aching for her company in more ways than one.

            _Dammit Bella, you already agreed.  That’s not happening tonight.  Besides, you_ just _started officially dating this afternoon.  What’s the rush?_   The rush was that she had been driving me up the wall for a lot longer than just one day, but I was just going to have to ignore that for now.        

            After doing an especially thorough job brushing my teeth, I slipped into my bedroom to change into my pajamas, and nearly yelled in shock when I discovered Edythe lounging on my bed as if she had never left.

            “Jesus, you scared the shit out of me.  How long have you been here?” I gasped, hand automatically resting over my heart, which had been getting quite the workout over the course of the day.

            “Oh, not too long,” she grinned, obviously pleased with herself.  I glared at her as I gathered my pajamas with as much dignity as possible, preparing to head back into the bathroom to change.

            “Suddenly shy, are you?” She cocked an eyebrow.  I felt my face flushing, uncertain as to what would look like more of a defeat: continuing with my initial plan or staying there.

            “You just want to get a good eyeful,” I finally shot back.  “Fine, have it your way.” I turned away from her and changed as quickly as possible, all the while feeling her gaze scorching into my back.  I did my best to maintain an air of indignation, but I couldn’t deny that her attention was appreciated.  Finally, I made my way slowly across the room.

            “Having second thoughts?” she looked up at me quizzically, a real question hidden underneath the tease.

            “No, it’s not that,” I answered truthfully.  “Just a little nervous, I suppose.”

            “Fair.” She dipped her head, silent for several long seconds.  “How was dinner?”

            I found myself at a loss for words, taken aback at the sudden change of subject.  “Um, fine?  Nothing spectacular, really.  You?”

            She barked a laugh, staying quiet enough that I was sure the sound wouldn’t carry down to Charlie.  “Well enough, but not very exciting.  Mountain lions put up a lot less of a challenge once they’ve gotten fat and lazy.  They never think a tougher predator is going to come along until it’s too late.”

            I didn’t even bother to cover my surprise, feeling my eyes going wide.  “Mountain lions?” I breathed.

            “Well, yes.  If I’m going to feed from animals, they need to be sizable.  Besides, it makes it more fun.”

            I shook my head as I dropped to the bed next to her.  There was still so much I had to learn about her, and with each new revelation, I gained new insight to her life.  I glanced over at her, expecting her usual reserved expression whenever she revealed new information to me, but instead I found her lounging back on her elbows, the picture of ease.  She smiled easily at me, and I realized that she was becoming more comfortable sharing her secrets.  I returned the look, and before I had the chance to prepare myself, she had swept me into a tight embrace, pulling me down onto the bed next to her.  I let out a small gasp before she pressed her lips to mine, and soon we were a tangle of limbs and sheets, words no longer needed, our bodies more than sufficient means of communication.  When we finally broke apart, I was gasping for breath, while the only signs of excursion from her were a few out-of-place locks and a wild fire burning behind her molten gold eyes.

            “As much as I’m enjoying myself, I did promise that I would let you sleep,” she whispered, her voice noticeably rougher than usual.

            “You’re doing a great job so far,” I chided, smirking up at her.  She leaned over and pressed her lips, now significantly warmer, to my forehead, before settling into a comfortable position next to me.

            “Sleep, Bella.  I’ll be here when you wake up.”

            I didn’t protest, but I found it hard to believe that I would be able to find sleep easily now that every nerve in my body had been ignited.  However, as I rested my head on my pillow, mere inches away from her, my eyelids soon became heavy, and before long I had drifted off into blissful sleep.


	9. Threshold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SO SO SORRY I KNOW IT'S BEEN 10000 YEARS!!! All your nice comments and kudos HAVE reached me, and I have felt SO bad about the massive delay. Life has been beyond crazy, and I have not had the motivation to work on this, or any other writing, over the past year or so. I can't promise and kind of regular update, but hey... I'm gonna try and not let so much time go by before the next chapter. (also sorry for the less than consistent formatting, for some reason it doesn't want to totally behave when I copy from Word)

Come Monday, the only person I disclosed my new relationship status to was Jessica, yet somehow it seemed as if the entire school knew by the end of the day.  I was certain Jess hadn’t told anyone, and Edythe confirmed as much after school when I asked.

            “It’s hard to say exactly how it got out, although it sounds as though someone saw us this morning before school,” she shrugged, clearly not too troubled by the news.  I tried not to let it get to me, but in one day I had gone from almost completely closeted to outed to the entire school.  While my own personal group of friends were perfectly supportive, it was a small town, and with small towns come small minds, and by Tuesday, I heard plenty of crude comments that people didn’t feel the need to whisper as I passed by.  It was almost surreal to be on the receiving end of such classic comments like “carpet muncher”.  I couldn’t help but notice that the remarks only occurred when I was by myself.  Edythe’s presence seemed to have the power to render people speechless. 

            “You know, it’s kind of funny, really,” I told her in a whispered tone that day at lunch.

            “And why is that?”

            “They’re teasing us for being lesbians, which… okay, fine, that’s what they know.  I think it might bother me a little more if it weren’t for the _other_ thing,” I chuckled.  Her mouth quirked up in reply.

            “Yes, when I think of all the things they would say if they knew the truth, somehow ‘dyke’ just isn’t that troubling,” she mused. 

            “Wait, I didn’t think they’d been saying anything to _you._   They always shut up whenever you’re with me.”

            “Oh, but they’re _thinking_ it.”  A slight frown creased her face.  “I do hate that they’re saying those things about you, though.  At least I don’t have to worry about them doing anything more than talking, though.  It would seem that being the daughter of the police chief is offering you a certain measure of protection.”

            “I honestly never thought I’d have to rely on that here,” I confessed.  “But it doesn’t matter, let them talk.  I’m sure they’ll grow bored of it eventually.”

            “Possibly, although there are still quite a few whose parents take them out of town for anything medical.”

            “You’re kidding me.  What, do they think seeing your dad will make their kids gay?”

            “You’d be surprised the level of ignorance in some people.  Most of them don’t say half of what they’re really thinking.  Speaking of…” She turned to stare in the direction of two senior boys whose names I did not know.  Following her glance, I could see that they were looking in our direction and sniggering.  I didn’t have to read minds to guess what they were talking about.  I watched as Edythe continued to stare them down, unblinking, until they caught sight of her face.  Almost instantly, their expressions shifted from humor to obvious discomfort.  I looked back at Edythe and saw that she had raised an eyebrow, and was giving them a look of the utmost loathing.  I suppressed a shiver, knowing full well what it was like to be on the receiving end of that glare.  The boys turned away from her and huddled down, looking suddenly much smaller.  She turned back towards me, a satisfied smirk now in place.

            “Wasn’t that a bit risky?” I asked, but I couldn’t help laughing. 

            “They’re not anywhere near bright enough to figure it out.  Sometimes I just can’t resist, and the things they were saying about us, about _you_ , well… I wasn’t about to let that continue.”

            I shook my head, still chuckling, when Jessica sat down next to me.  “Well, aren’t you two the talk of the town?”

            “So it seems.  You know, between being the new kid, and then that accident, and now this, I’m starting to understand how celebrities feel.  I hope I’m not about to see my face in the tabloids.” All three of us started laughing, finding the entire situation beyond absurd. 

“What on Earth is so funny?” I glanced up to see that Mike, Eric, and Angela had made their way to our table.  Edythe quickly composed herself, although there was a definite twinkle in her eye, while Jess and I struggled to catch our breath.

“Bella here was simply remarking on her newfound fame,” Edythe said.  “I’m afraid the role of ‘Celebrity Girlfriend’ has fallen to me.  Pity, I was hoping to avoid the Paparazzi a while longer.”  That earned a few more chuckles from the table, but it didn’t take long for the conversation to take a new turn.  I ate in silence, sharing more than a few glances with Edythe, still amazed at the direction our relationship had gone in.  She had spent the past couple of nights in my room, where she had assured me she didn’t mind waiting while I slept.

“When you’re as old as I am, Bella, a night passes by rather quickly.  Besides, it’s not as if I have anything else to be doing,” she had told me the previous night.

As I had guessed, by the end of the week, the worst of the gossip had come to a stop. There were still a few whispered comments, but when they realized their words weren’t having much of an effect on us, they gave up. According to Edythe, they still had all kinds of thoughts, ranging from curious to bigoted to downright lewd, but I didn’t care. I had her, and I had my friends, and life in Forks was, amazingly enough, finally starting to settle into a normal routine. Edythe spent most nights with me, and I eventually got some sleep in those cases. About once every other week, Edythe would have to go hunting. She told me that unless it was sunny out, the whole family never went at once, in order to avoid too much attention. They usually went alone or in pairs, and would often go at night. She made sure to feed regularly, to make being around me as safe as possible, especially considering the more… physical nature of our relationship. Edythe was passionate, but always careful, always holding back a bit, all too aware of how delicate I was in comparison to her superhuman strength. Despite that, I had nothing to complain about. She was more than enough.

About a month after we officially started dating, I had a surprise encounter during lunch. The usual crowd sat at our table, the everyday lunchroom chatter passing between us, when a shadow crossed over me. I looked up and nearly dropped my spoon of pudding in surprise – Alice, Edythe’s sister, was standing by our table, a curious smile on her perfect face.

“Hi, Bella… it is okay if I call you Bella, right?” Her voice, much like her sister’s, was musical, although higher pitched than Edythe’s husky tone. “I hope this is alright, but I figured it was time to finally meet you. After all, you’re dating my sister.” This last was said with a sly glance at Edythe, who looked as though she would have been blushing if it were possible.

“Um… yes, hello. Yes, it’s fine. If you call me Bella, I mean. It’s nice to meet you,” I stammered, looking up into her golden gaze. I glanced over at Edythe again, and saw that she had gone perfectly still, clearly uncertain as to how this encounter was going to go over.

“Perhaps someday soon you can come by the house, meet everyone else?” Her mouth never lost its inquisitive smile.

Only then did I realize that our table had gone completely silent, all conversation halted as the others became aware of our unexpected visitor. It was clear that they, too, didn’t know what to make of this.

“I think… that would be nice,” I said hesitantly, still looking at Edythe, hoping for a bit of guidance, but her face betrayed nothing.

“Thank you, Alice, I’m sure Bella will visit eventually. But you know, we’re a bit out of the way. I’d feel bad asking her to go out that far.”

“Oh I don’t-“ I began, but stopped short as I realized the tension emanating from her. This was definitely a conversation she was hoping to avoid. Hoping to diffuse the situation, I hastily added, “Why don’t we just play it by ear?”

Alice, a smug look still in place on her perfect face, seemed pleased by my answer. “I can live with that,” she said before turning on her heel and, as quickly as she had arrived, was gone. I let out a long breath and risked a glance at Edythe, and saw that she was still sitting statue still.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I whispered as quietly as I could, knowing she would hear me. “No pressure, yeah?” She gave a barely perceptible nod, showing she heard, and visibly relaxed. The rest of our table was still staring at us, clearly still dumbfounded by the unusual break in routine. I realized that, despite the fact that the Cullens had been in town for over a year, most of the population had had very little to do with them. I laughed, despite myself, at the absurdity that it had been _my_ arrival that finally shook things up.

Almost subconsciously, I glanced up at the Cullens’ table, curious to see if they showed any sign that they were aware of what had just happened. I half-expected them to be sitting still and expressionless as usual, so I was somewhat surprised to see Emmett visibly laughing. Alice and Jasper were leaning in close, and even though I couldn’t see their lips moving, I was certain that they were engaged in conversation. However, it was Rosalie’s expression that most got my attention. Her face was creased in a frown, and she was directing her sour expression right at me. It was no where close to the glare I had gotten from Edythe on that first day, but I couldn’t quite suppress a shiver. Edythe, of course, noticed, and she turned her head sharply in Rosalie’s direction. She said nothing, but the look she gave her sister was clear enough, and, with a quick sneer, Rosalie turned away. Emmett put his arm around her shoulders, still chuckling.

“What was that about?” I whispered to Edythe.

“Sorry about that,” she grimaced. “Rose is the, ah… _least_ supportive of my family.”

“Does she think I’m going to betray your secret?” I asked, somewhat indignant. True, she didn’t know me, but I had done nothing so far to suggest that I would ever break their trust.

“Not exactly. It’s more as if she doesn’t trust _me_. She worries I’ll… slip up.” She gave me a pointed look while the meaning of her words sunk in.

“I see…” I thought about what she said, and I realized that Rosalie’s fears were in fact completely justified. If Edythe _did_ hurt me, there would be a significant risk of exposure for her family.  I really _was_ asking a lot of them, to trust me with their greatest secret. “Well, for what it’s worth, I trust you.”

“Thank you, Bella,” she said solemnly. “That is worth quite a lot.”

I looked up at the rest of our group, worried that they might have gotten curious about our private conversation, but they were all too absorbed in their own discussions to give us much thought. Jess and Mike were also in their own little world, but I somehow doubted that their new relationship had quite the same types of hurdles to overcome as mine did. For a brief moment, I envied them. Their future was so much clearer, their problems entirely _human_. The feeling then passed, and I knew that, regardless of the uncertainty of what was to come for us, I wouldn’t trade Edythe for anyone.

The rest of the school day passed without incident, and I met up with Edythe in the parking lot after P.E. From the moment I saw her, I could tell she was deep in thought, and she barely acknowledged me as I walked up.

“Hey, Earth to Edythe?” I said. “You okay?”

Shaking herself out of her revere, she flashed her usual half-smile before kissing me briefly. “I’m sorry, I was just thinking… about our conversation with Alice before. You should know, most of the family has been clamoring to meet you for a while now. Only Rose and Jasper are somewhat less than enthused at the idea.”

Curiosity won over, as usual, and I couldn’t help but ask. “Why is Jasper hesitant? I thought you said it was Rosalie who didn’t approve.”

“It’s not that he doesn’t approve, but he has been a part of our particular lifestyle for a far shorter amount of time. He still finds it difficult to be around people for extended periods of time.”

“I’m surprised he attends school, then,” I mused.

“He’s not exactly fond of it, but he knows it’s for the best. It would be conspicuous if he didn’t. Besides, with Alice around, the risk goes down quite a bit.”

“You know, you keep giving me more questions than answers. I don’t understand half of what you’re saying,” I teased.

Edythe laughed. “Yes, I supposed you’re right. There is so much to explain, and I think you will find much of it to your interest. It’s not all blood and death, you know.” She paused, clearly deliberating, before continuing. “So, Bella, _would_ you like to come meet my family? I can assure you, no harm will come to you while you’re there.”

I stared at her, and I could see the conflict swimming in her eyes. She was actually nervous about this, nervous about what _I_ would think of them. And there was a deeper, underlying fear about the potential danger I would be in, despite her promise that I wouldn’t get hurt. But beyond that… she _wanted_ this, I was certain now. It would be a huge step for us, far more so than most couples. I thought about what it would mean, and I realized that I wanted it, too.

“Yes, Edythe, I would love to. I mean, I’ve already met Carlisle, and he was wonderful,” I smiled.

“Yes, with him around, none of the others would dare… well, they would never hurt you, regardless, but they should be on their best behavior. Although, in certain cases, “best” isn’t saying much…” Her expression clouded, and I didn’t have to ask to know that she was talking about Rosalie.

“Hey, I’m not going to let one sister’s opinion get in the way of this. It’s going to be okay.” I placed my hand on her arm reassuringly, and she gently cupped my face in her hand, her cool skin sending pleasant shivers through my body. I smiled and leaned into her touch, forgetting for just a moment all that was around us and just enjoying being there, with her.

“How does tonight sound?” she said, bringing me back to reality, and it took a moment for me to realize what she meant. Despite the certainty of my decision, I felt my pulse quicken at the prospect of it all. “That is, if you want. We can wait a bit longer.”

I took a steadying breath before responding. “No, tonight is good. If I put it off for too long, I’ll probably think of some excuse to back out.”

She nodded. “Go home first, and let Charlie know where you’re going. I know I said nothing will happen to you, and I meant it, but still… it doesn’t hurt to take any extra precautions.”

I agreed to her request, and, after the promise that I’d see her in a couple of hours, was in my truck, alone with my thoughts.

****

When I told Charlie where I would be spending my evening, he barely glanced up from his game. Clearly, he didn’t find the idea of me spending time with my girlfriend’s family nearly as intimidating as I did. Then again, he was significantly ignorant of all the details. I suspected he’d feel quite differently if he knew I was going to be in a house full of vampires.

            Edythe wasn’t supposed to show up for another hour, so I decided to grab a quick bite to eat beforehand. I doubted the Cullens would have any real food, considering their specific dietary needs, and I didn’t know how long I’d be there. Besides, I needed to keep myself busy. The clock seemed to move at an incredibly slow rate, making one hour feel like ten. Finally, at a quarter till five, I went upstairs to put on something marginally nicer than what I had worn to school. It was silly, I knew, to worry about my fashion choices, but some superficial part of me wanted to make the best first impression possible. Somehow those last fifteen minutes managed to wiz by in the blink of an eye, making up for the last hour. I felt as though I had only just gotten upstairs when the doorbell rang, and I hurried to throw on my blue cardigan before dashing back downstairs. I skipped the last step and landed with an awkward thud and blushed, knowing Edythe had heard. I composed myself as best as I could before opening the door. Sure enough, she had one eyebrow raised, barely suppressing a laugh.

            I glared at her before calling back to Charlie. “Alright Dad, Edythe’s here! Don’t wait up!” I heard a mumbled “Have fun, kids” in response, a clear indicator that whatever was happening in the sporting world was far more interesting than his daughter’s social life. It was for the best, though. The less he paid attention, the better.

            Edythe led me down the driveway and opened the passenger door of her Volvo. “Ready?” she asked.

            “As I’ll ever be.”


	10. Expanding Horizons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY LOOK AN UPDATE!!   
> This one really did take me a while to find a groove on, and it ended up being wayyy longer than I anticipated, but thanks for waiting! I've got more to say but that'll be at the end so I don't spoil anything.

            The sound of the piano, calming and peaceful, filled my ears as I laid back, eyes closed, on the large sofa that took up an entire wall of the Cullen’s living room. Edythe played with the finesse of a master, of course, fingers never once faltering as they glided over the keys.

            “I get the feeling you enjoy showing off,” I mumbled, voice low with contentment, but I knew she heard me. I didn’t have to see her face to image the subtle smirk I was certain she now wore.

            “Perhaps a bit,” she acknowledged. “But can you blame me? I live with a group of people who can all perform extraordinary feats. To them, anything I do has become ordinary. I must admit it’s nice for the ego to have someone I can routinely impress.”

            I rolled my eyes and fought the urge to throw a pillow at her. It would be pointless, of course. She’d catch it. Still, the smugness in her voice was begging for some form of retaliation. “Careful, or it’ll get to the point where you’ve shown me all your tricks. Then what will you do?”

            She laughed, a pure, genuine laugh. “I imagine I’ll think of something,” she said, and I didn’t miss the implication in her tone. I couldn’t help it; I shuddered in pleasurable anticipation.

            I had been at her house for several hours by this point. Initially, I had been a tangle of nerves at the prospect of actually being in a house full of vampires. Of course there had been the dominant fear that any one of them could end my life before I could even blink, but beneath that had been the ridiculous fear that I needed to make a good impression, not as a means of staying alive, but in the very normal, teenage way of wanting your new girlfriend’s parents to like you. I hadn’t been particularly worried about Carlisle. Having met him once before, I knew his kindness was genuine, but still, there was a significant difference between seeing someone as a doctor and seeing them as your significant other’s father. Beyond him, though, the anxiety was persistent. With the exception of Alice, I had only seen her adopted siblings from a distance, and for the most part, they hadn’t looked happy. Walking up the path to the house earlier that day, I hadn’t been able to drive the image of Rosalie’s face, twisted with rage as Edythe had stopped the van from crushing me, from my mind. And then there was the complete unknown that was Earnest, Edythe’s other father. Edythe had assured me that he was just as kind and gentle as Carlisle, but it wasn’t until I met him that my doubts had finally ebbed. Earnest had indeed welcomed me with open arms. He had the same pale skin, golden eyes, and unearthly beauty as the rest of the family. He was smaller than Carlisle and Emmett (although just about everyone was smaller than Emmett), with short, caramel hair and a warm face. The entire family had been there when we first arrived, Carlisle and Earnest waiting happily, Alice excited, Emmett amused. Jasper had kept a distance, wary but not hostile, and Rosalie had been just as I had expected, making no attempt to hide her distaste. She had stayed in the room for less than a minute before vanishing up the stairs faster than I could process.

            “Oh, don’t worry about her,” Emmett had said, his humored expressed unchanged despite his partner’s hostility. “She’ll get over it. And I promise, it has nothing to do with you specifically.”

            “Well, thanks. That makes me feel so much better,” I said sarcastically. Emmett laughed loudly at that.

            “Humans!” I had heard him say as he too disappeared up the stairs, most likely to check on Rosalie.            

            “Emmett is right, you know,” an unfamiliar voice had said. Earnest had walked up to me, hand extended. I took it, prepared for the icy touch. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

            “Thank you, you as well,” I had said, and meant it. Edythe had told me beforehand that Earnest didn’t have any extra supernatural abilities, beyond the standard for a vampire, but that he had brought with him into his new life his ability to love, an empathy and warmth unlike anyone Edythe had ever met. Meeting him now, I saw that to be true.

            We had spent some time with Edythe’s family, and I had slowly started to relax. Jasper had kept his distance, but I had a sneaking suspicion that my new mood was at least partially his doing. Edythe had told me ages ago that he could manipulate the emotions of those around him. I wasn’t complaining; I had never partaken in alcohol before, but I could understand why people relied on stimulants to put themselves at ease. Sometimes you just couldn’t do it on your own.

            At some point I had noticed that all of them had especially bright golden eyes, the shadows underneath them all but gone. They had fed, probably just the night before, in preparation for my visit. The realization elicited in me mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was touching that they were doing everything they could to minimize any danger I might be in. On the other, it was a very real reminder that I _was_ in danger. The fact that they had to go to such measures was jarring. Not for the first time, I was grateful that I was, for whatever strange reason, immune to Edythe’s powers.

            Now, hours later, we were alone in the big family room. The others had been subtle in their departures, not all leaving at once, but I suspected they were intentionally giving us time to ourselves, as well as trying not to overwhelm me. Well, a bit late for that, but I would adjust. Edythe had played a few songs on the piano, including one, she confessed, she had composed herself, myself the source of her inspiration. The revelation had caused me to flush with both pride and embarrassment, and I had listened with rapt attention as she played without sheet music, the notes forever committed to her perfect memory. I didn’t know much about music composition, having never played an instrument myself, but I could hear the warmth and love she conveyed in her melody. I lay back on the huge leather couch, my eyes shut, wanting to take in every note in full. Her music lulled me into a state of relaxed contentment, and it was easy to dismiss my earlier concerns. For a time, there was nothing but the sound of her playing and my slow, peaceful breathing, the rest of the world falling away. The final notes trailed off, my eyes still closed, and although I never heard her move, I felt her weight press down on me before her cool finger trailed down my cheek.

            “Well now, I didn’t realize my playing would move you to tears,” she mused, and I finally opened my eyes to look up at her, lifting a finger to my face in surprise. I hadn’t realized I was crying.

            “Shit, I didn’t mean to,” I muttered.

            “No, no, I’m flattered.” A pause, then, “We can’t cry, you know.”

            I tried to sit up, but she was still on top of me, very close, and I couldn’t budge her. Instead, I reached up to brush a stray lock away from her face. “I’m sorry,” I said, then shook my head. “I don’t know why I said that. It just sounds… well, sad, really. Crying can be very therapeutic.”

            “I wouldn’t know. I mean, I know I must have cried when I was still human, but that life was so long ago, and the memories are foggy at best. Humans don’t notice things the way we do, so anything I experienced before my transformation is…” She trailed off, but I understood.

            “Like your old life was a fuzzy black and white, and now everything is in high-def?” I offered.

            She chuckled. “Not a bad comparison, but even the best television can’t compare to how I experience the world. It can be lonely…well, at least it used to be, but the tradeoff isn’t too bad. To have an eternity to learn, to experience, to see the world… it’s hard to complain about that.”

            I couldn’t think of a verbal response, so I settled instead for pulling myself up to kiss her. She didn’t hesitate, wrapping her arms around me. There was a moment where I thought I felt her shift, and without opening my eyes I knew I was in her lap. With enormous effort, I broke the kiss long enough to say, “What if your family walks in?”

            With a smugness I was now all too familiar with, she said, “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that. They’re all quite far away by now. Besides, open your eyes.”

            I did so and couldn’t help but let out a gasp. We were now in an entirely different room, this one smaller and filled with wall to wall shelves that contained all manner of records, cd’s, and books. A couch of the same make as the one in the main room leaned against one wall, on which we were now seated, while the other was solid glass, allowing for an unobstructed view of the forest beyond.

            “How in the… never mind. Stupid question. Maybe someday I’ll get used to that.” I looked around the room again. “This is your room, isn’t it?” It was a redundant question. Of course it was hers.

            “What do you think?” she asked. Her tone was light, but underneath I could tell she was eager to know. It dawned on me that it must be unusual for her to have to actually voice questions and wait for a verbal answer.

            “It is so very you, Edythe,” I said, smiling. “It’s perfect. Although, I must admit, the lack of a bed is somewhat disappointing.”

            “Well, considering I don’t sleep, I never saw much use for one. Clearly that’s changed,” she responded wryly, the intent in her eyes unmistakable. I could do nothing but kiss her again, this time with more force, and next thing I knew she had flipped me on my back, although at a somewhat more normal pace this time. As her kisses trailed along my jaw and down my neck, I felt the familiar tingle of pleasure mixed with just a hint of fear, but I found I did not mind. Not at all. I trusted her, and the undertone of danger was, admittedly, exciting, knowing she would never actually hurt me.

            Her hand slid under my shirt, ever so slowly, tracing the inches of my skin from the hem of my jeans up to the wire of my bra. My breath hitched, and I found my fingers tangling in her hair, my body responding automatically to her caress. Then my shirt was gone, my bra unclasped, and her mouth was finding its way to new places. Her lips, still somewhat cool, had been warmed after several minutes of contact with my flushed skin. _Fire and ice_ , I thought, not for the first time, but then her fingers were unclasping my belt and my thoughts quickly shifted. I felt her pause and glanced down to meet her eyes, an unspoken question clear in her golden gaze. I nodded without hesitation, certain beyond all doubt that I was ready for this. It was all the encouragement she needed, and then the remainder of my clothes were gone and I was tugging off hers, fumbling and clumsy compared to her liquid smooth movements, but then she too was completely exposed, every inch of her pale and beautiful, and then she was kissing me again, our naked bodies pressed together, and I was experiencing her in an entirely new way, both terrifying and exhilarating and so very, very welcome.

****

We stayed on her couch for a long while, time passing around us without commentary. I didn’t watch the clock, or the shadows shifting as the casting light traversed across her transparent wall. It didn’t matter. The outside world didn’t matter. I laid against her, head resting just beneath her chin, and her body no longer felt cold. Whether that was because she had warmed after our excursions, or I had simply grown accustomed to it, I couldn’t be sure. Possibly a bit of both, but it hardly mattered. For now, I knew I never wanted to move again. It couldn’t last forever, of course. I was dimly aware of the hollow ache in my stomach, my body reminding me that it had been hours since I last ate and had recently burned up a significant amount of calories.          

            “Guess we need to feed you, hm?” Edythe murmured, the first words either of us had spoken in quite some time. I almost asked how she knew before realizing she must have heard my growling stomach.

            “Probably. Moving doesn’t sound so appealing right now, though,” I sighed. On cue, a particularly loud rumble sounded, and she laughed. “Thanks, traitor,” I grumbled.

            “Come on, let’s get cleaned up. Then we can get you something to eat.” She rose slowly, gently disentangling our limbs. I stretched and found a slight soreness, although not unpleasant. Standing proved to be a bit of a task, and I didn’t miss the satisfied smirk that crossed Edythe’s features and she watched me wobble slightly.

            “Need assistance?” she asked, eyebrow raised.

            “I’m _fine,_ ” I huffed, stubbornly refusing her outstretched hand.

            “If you say so, but I daresay that was a bit more of a workout than what you’re accustomed to. High school physical education has nothing on me.”

            The temptation to swat her arm was strong, but I knew that it would accomplish nothing, except perhaps an injured hand on my part, so I resisted. Barely. “You’re impossible,” I growled. “Can you point me in the direction of your shower?”

            She was still chuckling as she handed me an absurdly luxurious bathrobe, which I quickly donned before she led me down the hall, herself unclothed.

            “Not shy, are you?” I said, unable to keep my eyes off of her body. Even after several hours, the sight was still breathtaking.

            “Not at all, but my family still hasn’t returned anyway, so it doesn’t matter,” she answered.

            “You know, I have to admit, I’m kind of surprised you even _have_ a bathroom,” I said as I took in the new room. It was, like everything else in the house, lavishly adorned and clearly cost more than Charlie’s entire house.

            Her expression was bemused. “You do realize we’re not impervious to dirt, right? We’re not ghosts. Besides,” she added, “we always have to keep up pretenses. Can’t have guests over and wonder why we don’t have a toilet.”

            My face grew hot with embarrassment. “Well, it makes sense now that you say it. I’m just going to shower now.”

            “Shall I join you?” she asked.

            “Oh no, not this time. I need to actually get _clean_ , remember? You can wait your turn.” Refusing her offer wasn’t easy, but for once I allowed logic to win out. I showered as quickly as I could, drying off with a towel just as soft as the robe she had loaned me. Stepping back into the hall, I kissed her quickly as she took my place before I made my way back to her room. I tracked down my clothes, which had been tossed haphazardly aside earlier. Dressed once again, I sat down on her couch, looking around the room in earnest now, thoughts no longer distracted by the prospect of illicit activities. Her room was minimalist but not in a way that made it seem empty. The huge window, along with the white walls, made it feel very open, and her love of music was proudly displayed by shelves upon shelves of records and CDs. The furniture was black, giving the room a very modern vibe. Except for the couch, everything looked untouched, but there wasn’t a speck of dust that I could see. While the room looked unused, I suspected that was far from the case. Knowing Edythe, she was able to effortlessly keep everything tidy. I was about to get up to give her music collection a closer inspection when she appeared at my side, dry and fully dressed. I credited myself for not even flinching this time.

            “Ready to eat?” she asked.

            “Do you even _have_ food here?” I offered as a reply.

            “Would it be in poor taste to say, ‘only you’”?

            I felt my mouth drop and for a moment, I could do nothing but stare at her before I burst out laughing. It took several minutes before I had recovered enough to deliver a response. “You know… I’m actually rather proud of you for that one.”

            “Glad you see the humor in it,” she said sardonically, rolling her eyes. She took my hand and led me back down the stairs and out the front door. “Back on the subject of your dinner, I actually wanted to take you out to eat tonight. I know of this supposedly great Italian place…”

****

Leaning against the dusty wooden bar, she cast her eyes about the room, taking in every detail despite the dim light. She’d been to this bar before, many times. Oh, not this specific location, but others just like it. They were all the same, really. Old, dark, their patrons belonging to the lower dregs of society. Be it a tavern on the docks of London, a pit stop in the Midwest, anywhere in the world, really, if you looked in the right places, there was always somewhere the rogues and vagabonds liked to gather for a drink and a night of debauchery. And they were excellent places for catching the unsuspecting prey.  

            Men. She always targeted men. Not that she didn’t like women, too, but women were for pleasure. Men could be pleasurable, too, but not the men she found in places like this. No, these were the men who were used to being the predators. Predators of the weak, the helpless, of those without a voice. Thieves, liars, conmen. Murderers. Rapists. She’d seen the mask these men wore change over the centuries, from the pirates of the 1700s, to the mobsters of the early 20th century, to the street thugs of the modern era. They came in many guises, but underneath it they were all the same. And she had no tolerance for them. These men were not for the pleasures of the flesh. No, whichever man she selected tonight would not see the sun rise in the morning. He would know how it felt to become the prey.

            Finally, her dark red gaze came to rest on a man sitting at a table across the room. He was young, no older than 30, bald and muscular. His jacket had the sleeves torn off to reveal an assortment of tattoos. He projected an air of confidence so strong she could feel it all the way where she stood. She could also tell that he had assaulted a number of women without a shred of guilty conscious. She could always tell what they had done. It was a gift, one that she had obtained in her new life. She had always been wary around men, back when she was mortal, two and a half centuries before, and had come to notice certain patterns in those with less than honorable intentions. Posture, tone of voice. The smooth lies that came far too easily to them. When her maker found her, turned her, it had evolved into something far more. She wasn’t able to literally see their crimes. Rather, it was simply a _feeling_ she got that allowed her to know when someone had done something reprehensible. It had served her well in her long life, allowing her to select her victims, distinguish between the innocent and the guilty.

                The man finally felt her eyes boring into him and turned to stare back at her. The moment his eyes met hers, his expression shifted, passing briefly through curiosity before taking on that familiar gleam. She smiled, and knew that to him, it appeared to be a smile of seduction. She reached up and tugged the band out of her hair, letting her fiery mane tumble around her shoulders, exposed for the tight-fitting tank top she had selected for the evening. It showed off her flat stomach, pale white even in the dark room. Her lips, painted the same red as her eyes, would be a beacon to men like him. It didn’t take him long to rise from his chair and stride across the room, chest out. She could tell it wasn’t something he put conscious thought into. It was his natural way of being. Disgusting. She didn’t move as he stopped within inches of her face, didn’t let her smile waver.

                “Saw you watchin’ me, gorgeous,” he said. “See something you like?”

            “Quite possibly. What have you got to show?” she said, voice dripping with seduction. In response, he closed the small gap that remained between them and pushed his groin, already hard, up against her. Only her decades of experience kept her mask from slipping.

            “How’s that?” he growled.

            “Oh, I think you’ll do just fine,” she purred.

            His eyes lit with desire, clearly pleased at not having to put any real effort into a night’s score. “Your place or mine?”

            “Why wait that long? I think I passed a nice, unoccupied ally on the way here.” At her words, his grin became positively feral.

            “Lead the way, baby.”

            And so she did, pushing her way through the crowd to the back exit, down the street and around a corner until she came across the place she had selected earlier that night. Dark, narrow, and deserted, they were unlikely to be interrupted, especially at this hour. They had barely crossed into the ally when she heard the buckle of his belt clatter, and turned to see he had already pulled himself free from the zipper of his jeans.

            “Impatient, are we?” she asked, not bothering to honey her voice any longer, but he took no notice.

            “Like you said, why waste time? You want a taste first or should you just lose the pants now?” Crude. Primitive. A stain on society. Keeping her eyes off his unsightly display, she made her way to him, a bit quicker than he had been expecting. The temptation to take away his pride and joy before draining him dry was strong, but the idea of touching it repulsed her.

            “Excellent point. I think I’m just about done with listening to you. Time to shut you up.” With that, she shoved him against the wall, hard, hard enough to crack the bricks along with his spine. His eyes widened in surprise, then pain, as his legs suddenly stopped working, their connection to his central nervous system severed. He would have dropped like a sack if she hadn’t been pinning him to the wall by his throat. He tried to cry out, but she added pressure to his windpipe and the sound died before he could get a single word out.

            “Now, now, I said no more talking,” she said with a sneer. None too gently, she yanked his head to one side, exposing the large vein on the side of his neck and sunk her teeth in deep. He struggled as much as he was physically capable of, at least for a moment, but it wasn’t long before his squirming subsided entirely. She could feel his pulse weakening rapidly, and as soon as it had started, it was over, his heart still in his chest. His corpse was already cooling, helped along by the chill night air and the fact that he no longer had a single drop of blood in his body. His skin was now a pale gray, cheeks sunken. She looked down on him with contempt and gave the corpse a good kick.

            “This world is better off without you,” she whispered before tossing the body over her shoulder. She made her way through the dark streets, moving too quickly for anyone who happened to be awake to see, until she came to the coast. The dark waters were perfect for the disposal of her victims, as she was able load the body down with rocks and swim it far out to sea. When she returned to shore, she imagined for a moment what she might look like. A pale beauty, hair like fire, rising from the depths. Fortunately, there was no one around to see her. As she pulled a piece of seaweed from her hair, she gazed back towards the city. The Space Needle was visible, even from here, an icon distinguishing the city’s skyline from any other. As she watched a plane fly by overhead, a redeye taking off from the nearby airport, Victoria came to the conclusion that she could definitely come to enjoy Seattle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEW! So! A couple things!  
> One: For those that want more smut, don't worry. It'll happen. I refrained from too much detail because Bella is still a minor and I'm just not comfy with that. But I promise, I have plans ;)   
> Two: A change up at the end there! Different, I know, but I've really been looking forward to expanding on the supernatural world. So we have Victoria, and she's totally different from her canon counterpart in almost every way. I won't say anything else yet, but i really hope you guys like what I have in store. Get ready for things to start getting a little darker.


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